


Ghost in the Machine

by Arionrhod, McKay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 08:39:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 58,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11009874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arionrhod/pseuds/Arionrhod, https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKay/pseuds/McKay
Summary: There is no better mecha pilot than angry, bitter Severus Snape - except, perhaps, for his new mechanic, Remus Lupin.  Both men are hiding something, and fighting against themselves as much as each other.  Thrown together by circumstance and the threat of looming war, can they move past their differences and to foil the plans of an evil corporation, achieve victory, and perhaps find there is a far more satisfying touch than that of cold steel?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2008.

"Shit! Move, you lazy fucking tin can!"

Severus kicked viciously at the pedal just below his right foot, cursing more creatively as the rotors whined in protest, attempting to lift the mass of his leg so that he could turn to face his opponent's charge. His stabilizers were shot to hell and his left jump jet had blown, so it was all he could do to keep the cybernetic beast surrounding him upright; he certainly wouldn't be able to maintain his balance if Malfoy was able to make contact. He blinked, the display in his vision obediently overlaid with a tactical plot, showing him that his opponent had three more long, lumbering strides to take before impacting on his left flank like a runaway starship. If that happened the match would be over, and Severus would lose.

And if there was one thing Severus Snape never did, it was lose.

He watched for the space of a single stride as Malfoy closed in on him, dark eyes narrowed as he focused on his opponent's approach, calculating velocity and angle with the instincts that had kept him on the top of the game for almost five years. He looked for some weakness to exploit, some hole in Malfoy's attack, and in the space of another half-step he saw it, his lips pulling back from his teeth in a vicious snarl as Malfoy's golden mech closed in on him like a neo-gryphon on a wounded bird. 

"Going down at last, Snape," came Malfoy's cultured tones over his commlink, and Severus could hear the snide condescension in his tone.

"Not today - or at least not on you," Severus snapped back. As he bit out the last word he sent a command to his right jump jet to force his crippled mech into an off-angle lift, the turbines on that side spitting sparks and shrilling a harsh warning as the overworked jets tried to raise almost twice the mass they were designed for. Normally this would have meant suicide, throwing him to the ground where his opponent could trample him, but he'd timed it perfectly, better than any computer could have, so that he could swing his left leg around just as Malfoy reached the top of his final stride. The impact of his left foot against the head of Malfoy's mech rang out like a death gong, metal from both shrieking in protest at the brutal force of the impact. 

"Fuck!" The word was almost a moan in his ear as his mechanic, Peter Pettigrew, winced at the impact and saw the tell-tales flash red on half a dozen systems. But Severus didn't care; all that interested him was rolling with the kick, shoving his mech's arms downward as he tried to balance the heavy machine and keep it from toppling to the floor of the arena. 

He managed it, then checked his tactical display again and allowed himself a sardonic chuckle. He remained upright, but Malfoy hadn't been so lucky; not only had Severus' unexpected kick knocked him flat on his metal arse, it had actually almost severed the head of his mech, leaving the gleaming golden form looking like some kind of obscene, broken-necked body splayed out on the grey plastcrete.

Needless to say, the crowd in the arena was cheering so loudly Severus could hear it though the skin of the mech without needing to turn on the external pickups.

Severus didn't need the flashing green of his display to tell him that his opponent yielded, giving him the victory. His Mecha was already shutting down, the maglocks releasing from their grasp on his limbs with a click he felt all through his body, like a puppet being cut lose from its strings. There was a whine in the generator as the battered chest of his Mecha resisted the command to open before the small yield explosive charges blew and popped the damaged plates away. He could hear the crowd now with his own ears, and he scowled, disliking the undampened noise. But he couldn't help but fee a swell of smug satisfaction as he heard them chanting "Snake! Snake! Snake!" over and over again, before the sound devolved into total pandemonium as he jumped from his mech and landed on the ground with cat-like grace. Despite himself, he smirked; there was something that even he found stimulating about the massed voices of a hundred thousand people cheering for him.

There were auto-mechs rushing toward him, four flashing lights in the blue of engineering and two in the red of medical. A medical one veered toward him while its twin continued on toward his opponent's fallen form, but Severus waved it off with a negligent flick of his wrist. Then he turned and gave his mech a vicious kick with his own foot, knowing that his mechanic would register it and get the message. He smirked again when there was no protest over his still-active comm.

The crowd roared again, then went back to chanting his competition name as he turned and stalked off toward the pit where his team waited. They all wore pensive expressions, while Pettigrew him was positively _blanched_ , not even bothering to rise from the chair where he monitored and controlled the repair systems of Severus' Mecha. He was right to look almost sick, and Severus walked straight up to him, not bothering with any preliminaries.

"You're fired," he snapped, and Pettigrew swallowed hard, dropping his eyes. He didn't try to defend himself, and Severus felt a surge of contempt as he whirled and headed for the showers. If Pettigrew had protested Severus could really have ripped him a new one, but the man didn't even have the spine to try to save his job, much less to be a first class mechanic. He'd nearly cost Severus the match, and that was completely unacceptable. Severus was far better off without him.

Of course good mechanics were hard to come by, and so were thirty million credit Mechas, but that wasn't Severus' concern. His sponsor was the one that had to worry about replacing both the things Severus had wrecked today, and considering that Severus had just won the Solarian Sector Mecha Championship for the fourth year in a row, he rather thought they'd be grateful enough to do it.

Severus "The Snake" Snape was the best Mecha pilot in the sector, and if he was also a demanding bastard with a total disregard for anyone's feelings it certainly didn't bother him in the slightest. Not even later in his elegant flat, when he raised a glass of whiskey in a solitary toast to his victory with only the lights of the distant megalopolis to share it.

It was, after all, lonely at the top - but he had long ago hardened himself to it, because the top was the only place Severus ever planned to be.

* * *

"Come in Severus, have a seat. Would you care for something to drink?"

Severus entered the office of Regulus Black, President, CEO, and founder of Black Star Engineering, wearing an expression of boredom that belied his inner curiosity. He'd only met the man on a scant handful of other occasions, all having to do with publicity for Black Star's Mecha division, of which Severus was, of course, the star representative. So this summons to the inner sanctum of his employer's domain was unprecedented, and Severus wasn't certain whether he was to be praised for his win or castigated for the loss of both Mecha and mechanic in his last match. Not that it really mattered - he had enough money that he could live in relative comfort for the rest of his life without having to work again, although he suspected he'd die of boredom in less than a week.

"No nothing, thank you," he said cautiously, dark eyes hooded as he watched Black step away from the huge window where Earth in all her glory floated like a gaudy jewel, the pale orb of the moon hanging in silhouette just behind. His employer took a seat at a huge glass desk that was completely empty, motioning Severus to a seat across from him.

"All right, then, I suppose we can get down to business," Black said, sitting back in his expensive leather chair with his arms on the rests, steepling his fingers as he looked at Severus with a keenly intelligent gaze. Black had oddly pale grey eyes set in a tanned face, surrounded by a great wealth of long, wavy black hair, and Severus could see why he was so well regarded by members of both sexes, being one of the wealthiest men in the Solarian Sector aside. 

 

Not that wealth wasn't a big enough attraction all on its own. "I suppose you're wondering why I would bother to have you come all the way up here to the station?"

"It does seem a little odd," Severus agreed neutrally, lifting a brow as he relaxed in his own seat.

Black's lips twitched and he inclined his head as though awarding Severus a mental point for his coolness. "I know it's more than a little odd. It's damned expensive, but, alas, it's also necessary. Secrecy is something difficult to maintain on even the most secure communications links, and what I have to share...well, secrecy is of the utmost importance."

Intrigued despite himself, Severus leaned forward. "Oh?"

"Oh, indeed," Black replied softly. "You are the best pilot in competition, as you well know - which is why Black Star has been willing to endure your, shall we call them idiosyncrasies?"

"You mean my temper and the fact that I don't give a bloody damn if anyone likes me," Severus said sharply, his eyes narrowing warily. _That_ information was no secret, but he felt an instant surge of suspicion at Black's words.

Black inclined his head, apparently undisturbed by Severus' sudden hostility. "Those, and the fact that you're given to wrecking both your machines and your crews in the name of victory." He held up a hand to still Severus' rising protest. "Yes, I know that you will do anything to win, which is part of what makes you the best. If you went around destroying Mechas and managing to lose, that would be a different story. As it is, however, you manage to bring in far more revenue for this company than you cost us, so it's acceptable." 

Severus snorted rather derisively - Black's words were a bit of an understatement. Having his name and image linked to Black Star had more than tripled the revenue of the company's industrial and consumer robotics divisions in the last five years, which is what earned Severus his princely salary. It was true that they were also in a post-war economic boom, but Black Star outsold its biggest competitor, GenDyne Cybernetics, by almost two to one.

"So far nothing you have said has been worth hauling me up here for - unless you plan to fire me and don't want me making a big scene." Severus' voice held no hint of fear; if Black Star broke his ten year contract, it would only allow make him richer, since he could negotiate a more exorbitant salary from another company or consortium with his titles under his belt.

He caught a flash of humor in Black's pale eyes. "No, nothing like that," Black said softly, before his expression turned more serious. "But I mention it because the stakes are about to get higher - much higher."

"How so?" Severus frowned, not certain if he liked the direction this might be going. "What could be higher than what has already been won?"

There was a pause as Black seemed to search Severus' face, looking for something Severus couldn't fathom. "You fought in the Borealis Conflict, didn't you?"

Surprised by the question, Severus nodded, suddenly on guard. "Yes," he said slowly, wondering where this could possibly be leading. He didn't really like to discuss that segment of his life. It was ten years in the past, and he no longer even had nightmares about it...or at least not very often. "Many of the Mecha pilots in this sector learned their craft during the war. The Sector government wanted a decisive victory over 'Emperor' Voldemort and his cabinet, before they could spread their poison out of the Borealis system."

"Yet you came from Borealis. You turned against your own people."

The quiet words made Severus' nostrils flare, and his face flushed with anger. "I was born on Borealis, yes, but I was _not_ one of Voldemort's people! We were all recruited into his army, we had no choice, but it didn't take long for me to realize he was a complete psychopath! I never turned against _my_ people when I decided to fight - I fought against the madman who was enslaving them." A twinge of guilt stabbed at him, but he dismissed it. No one had any need to know what had happened, or why. All that mattered was that Severus had gotten it right in the end.

A grin flashed on Black's face, showing his even white teeth. "You can calm down, Severus, it's all right. I know what you did, and why - knew before I ever allowed you to be hired as a Mecha pilot for this corporation. I'm glad to see you still feel that way about it, actually, rather than romanticizing it." The grin faded, and Black grew serious once again. "For what it's worth, my family is from Borealis as well. In fact, they were big supporters of Voldemort, and encouraged me to join them. I paid it lip service, at least for a time, before taking every credit I could lay my hands on and making my way to saner climes. So I don't blame you at all for what you did; I approve completely, and that's one reason why I'm bringing you into this."

Severus gaped for a moment; he couldn't help it. Never in a million years would he have expected Regulus Black to not only have come from his home planet, but to have had relatives who were actually insane enough to have supported the planetary dictator who had launched a quest to rid first his planet, and then the Sector, of those he considered "undesirable" - members of certain religions, those born with genetic mutations or birth defects, scientists and doctors who specialized in gene therapy, regeneration, or artificial means of reproduction or human augmentation. "Lord" Voldemort - later the self-styled "Emperor of Borealis" - was a lunatic who wanted to "purify" the human race by removing those he considered flawed and the people who attempted to help them, and the thought of anyone supporting him made Severus almost sick with loathing. 

 

Especially given his own part in the war, a part that that Black could not possibly have discovered.

"Yet you didn't fight against him, did you?" Severus asked when he recovered the ability to speak. He frowned at Black, his eyebrows knit together as anger returned, swift and hot, and his tone dripped with contempt. "You left, but you didn't fight back. I may have my idiosyncrasies, _Mr._ Black, but at least I did what was right, rather than living the life of a rich playboy!"

Severus wasn't exactly certain how he expected Black to react to his insults; becoming angry, perhaps, or firing him outright for his insolence. It wouldn't even have been unheard of for Black to have issued a demand for a personal duel, an age-old form of justice which was an uncommon but not unknown way of addressing a grievous personal insult. What he didn't expect, however, was for Black to smile at him enigmatically, looking very much like a banecat who had gotten the cream.

"There are ways and ways of fighting, Severus," Black said, making an expansive gesture to indicate his palatial office. "I worked in weapons research before Voldemort came to power, and because my family was so loyal I was immediately moved into the Department of War as a lead engineer." His grey eyes flashed with anger. "I saw first hand exactly what that madman was planning, and so I stole the plans and brought them to the Sector government so they could be prepared. And, incidentally, I managed to steal a large portion of Voldemort's treasury as I left - not a hard thing to do when you are the trusted son of the Minister of Finance. Not to put too fine a point on it, but my contribution to the war effort was not trivial; I may not have been in the physical danger that you and the other Mecha pilots were on a day to day basis, but if Voldemort had caught me, I've no doubt my death would have been far more unpleasant than any you might have faced."

"I see." If what he said was true then Black was an actual war hero. Severus prided himself on his ability to judge people, and as he looked at Black with narrowed eyes he sensed no duplicity. Yet Severus was not easy to impress, and nothing Black had said explained why he had been brought here. He lifted a brow. 

 

"So what in the universe is it that you imagine I could possibly do for you?"

Black didn't reply immediately; instead he pressed an area on the seemingly clear desktop, and a tri-d light display flared to life between them. It was a schematic of a Mecha, one that in basic external form resembled Severus' Gamma Nine competition model. The Gamma Nine design was a few years old but was considered one of the best ever produced by Black Star, and of course Severus' mech had modifications that didn't come on the stock model. 

Curious, Severus leaned closer, eyes narrowed as Black gestured and the outer skin of the schema peeled away. Then his eyes widened once more as he saw that any resemblance to his mech, or any other mech he had ever seen, was completely gone.

"What in the hell is this thing?" he asked, raising a finger to trace along the lines of unfamiliar circuits, then pointing to voids where needed machinery was conspicuously absent. "Where are the servo motors? What about the switches and pedals for operating the limbs?" He raised his eyes to meet Black's, his mouth turned down into a frown and his eyes flashing with irritation. "How in the hell do you power and control a mech with what looks like nothing but a bunch of wires and molycircs? I don't like having my time wasted, Black, even by my employer!"

"It's no waste of time, I assure you," Black said, sitting back in his chair, his grey eyes suddenly burning with an almost fanatical intensity. "What you need to realize, Severus Snape, is that while you thought that the war ended ten years ago, nothing could be further from the truth. Oh, the Sector Ministry would see it differently, and the history books all claim that Emperor Voldemort was defeated, his forces routed completely, and a proper democratic government was restored on Borealis before the Sector forces withdrew. 

 

"As far as the Ministry is concerned they did exactly what they were supposed to do, since they are very careful to stay out of the day to day management of individual systems unless there is a threat to the Sector as a whole, one that is undeniable and eminent. If Voldemort hadn't had ambitions beyond his own system they might even have left him alone, if he was half-way competent at management. There are a few autocracies and even several monarchies among the Sector members, after all, and revolution is hardly a modern invention."

Severus scowled. "What are you trying to say, that Voldemort wasn't killed? That he's going to somehow manage to come back to power?"

Black was silent for several moments. "Yes," he said finally, the single word holding a certainty that for some reason made Severus want to shiver. "I told you I had access to plans, such as the ones which were developed into this Mecha, but I also had access to rumor. I heard more than one whispered conversation indicating that Voldemort had made contingency plans in the event that the Ministry stepped in to back the rebels."

"What plans?" Severus' voice was harsh and grating to his own ears, and the nightmares he had managed not to think about for a very long time were suddenly there in the back of his mind, the ghosts he had thought laid to rest suddenly restless. "What could he possibly do? He's dead!"

"Is he?" Black leaned forward, his eyes boring into Severus. "Are you so certain? He was insane, yes, and evil, but he was also intelligent and powerful, and unlike some rulers whose arrogance is their downfall, he _could_ conceive of defeat, and was capable of planning ways to get around it. This is a man who thought in terms of decades, Severus. He also had no hesitation in using the very science that he publicly condemned if it suited his needs. The Ministry never found his body, you know, although the DNA they found in the rubble of his enclave was a decisive match. It is possible that he was caught by surprise and blown to hell as it was reported... but what if he wasn't? What if he was simply badly injured and was taken into safety by his loyal followers?"

"That is insane," Severus replied flatly. He didn't want to hear any more of this kind of talk, and he rose to his feet. "You couldn't have any proof, or you would have taken it to the Ministry and let them deal with it. I am not going to sit here and listen to you spouting this drivel - I am not even certain I wish to continue to be employed by you!"

Black stood as well, his expression implacable. "I may have left Borealis, but I didn't cut all ties when I did, and I've employed spies there as well. Would you be interested to know that there was an escape from the maximum security prison where the surviving members of Voldemort's cabinet were being kept? An escape that included every single one of his highest ranking followers, some of the most fanatical and evil people ever to draw breath? People who swore to have vengeance on everyone that had put them away?"

"That cannot be not true!" Severus stared at Black as though he had lost his mind completely. "It would have been all over the news!"

"You would think that, wouldn't you?" The question was soft, almost gentle. "Odd that the current government of Borealis - which, incidentally, has many members who served as low-level bureaucrats under Voldemort - is covering it up? Why would they hide something like that... unless they didn't wish to draw the attention of the Ministry? You can look skeptical all you like, but I've kept a particular eye on that prison. The Ministry stance against the death penalty has never sat well with me when it comes to war criminals."

Severus sat back down, his hands clenching on the arms of his chair. Black could be mad, but he really had no reason to lie to Severus about this. "You have informed the Ministry?" he asked. 

Black resumed his seat as well. "Yes... but they do not operate on hearsay and theory, even after what I brought them before. Nor would they involve themselves in this unless it broke out into full scale war again. If they went around meddling in the day-to-day management of individual systems, it could tear the entire Sector apart." He shook his head, his lips twisting bitterly. "No, Borealis is on its own again... but this time, I'm quite certain that Voldemort will try to keep his plans hidden until the last possible moment. 

 

"That's why I need you, Severus. I need you to help me get proof, enough to show the people of Borealis what's happening, and to convince the Sector Ministry that there is a danger building right beneath their noses. To help eradicate Voldemort once and for all."

"Me?" Severus frowned again, his stomach clenching, not in fear but in loathing. He'd not been back to Borealis since... since. He planned never to go back, and he could feel icy fingers clenching around his spine at the very thought. "Even if you are correct in your suspicions, what could I possibly do? I am merely a Mecha pilot!"

Black, unperturbed by Severus' outburst, simply smiled grimly. "More than you might think, I assure you." His smile faded. "I've told you enough for now, and I know you will have more questions later. As to what you could do, I would like you to meet someone who can show you, rather than me boring you with the science behind all of it." Leaning forward, he pressed another area on the apparently clear glass of his desk. "Remus, will you come in please?"

A recessed door on one side of the room slid open, and in walked a man Severus recognized at once even though he'd only seen him in haloids and never in person. The man's long, golden brown hair was tied back and had more grey mixed in than it had during the time when he had been Black Star's premiere Mecha pilot five years before, but other than that he looked nearly the same. His scholarly face still seemed more suitable for someone who taught schoolchildren than a man who had been the premiere star on the violent competition circuit for five years running, then abruptly retired from competition claiming "personal reasons."

 

Lupin had disappeared behind a wall of privacy so complete that no one knew if he was still in the Sector. Rumours were rampant for a while, some claiming that he'd had a mental breakdown, others that he'd been injured so severely in a practice that he was a complete cripple. No one knew for certain, and eventually the speculation had died down and Lupin had been forgotten as a new champion had stepped in to take his place. 

 

A new champion named Severus Snape.

Severus looked Lupin up and down with frank curiosity. Lupin's golden eyes, a genetic mutation which clearly marked him as a native of Wolf 359, looked back at him with a hint of humor in their depths as Severus took in Lupin's lean build and pale skin. The man certainly didn't appear to have had either a mental or physical breakdown, moving with a liquid grace that was almost inhuman. Then Lupin smiled, and Severus wondered if the man had also been pulled into some nonsense at Regulus Black's whim.

"Hello, Mr. Snape," Lupin greeted Severus, holding out a hand. Lupin had a voice that was deep and furry, the kind that the holovids seemed to love for characters cast as the soothing, paternal type. "I've been following your career with a lot of interest. No doubt just like ninety percent of the sector. Congratulations."

Severus shook Lupin's hand, aware of a tingle of contact shock from Lupin's warm palm. His eyes narrowed; he had to admit that Lupin was a very attractive man, but he'd not been involved with anyone, male or female, for quite some time. Involvement led to complications, which got in the way of his focus, and he couldn't afford it if he wanted to be the best. There was an old joke that Mecha pilots preferred to have a single lover, one made of titanium and molycircs, and among the top ranked contenders it was very nearly true.

Lupin must have felt it, too, for he raised a brow and his smile turned fractionally warmer, but Severus abruptly severed the contact and turned to glare at Black. "All right, then, what's all this about? You summon me all the way to the bloody space station, natter on about the war, show me a schematic of a butchered mecha, then haul out someone who dropped off the face of the universe five years ago and claim he's going to explain it all to me?" He whirled to face Lupin again. "So show me this wonder, because I have a new round of prelims coming up in a week, and I still have to find a new mechanic to replace that last moron you gave me!"

"I happen to be your new mechanic," Lupin said quietly. "If you'll come with, I'll show you your new Mecha."

"I don't need a new Mecha," Severus grumbled, but he had to admit, at least to himself, that he was wound up and curious about what in the hell Black thought he could possibly do to help defeat a dictator who might or might not still be alive and planning a return. Suspicious, too, but curiosity won out over his desire to storm out and tell them all to go to hell. Lupin gestured toward the door, and then started off toward it without waiting to see if Severus was going to follow.

Follow Severus did, after pausing to glare at Black, his longer legs overtaking Lupin easily. He'd caught Black's look of amusement as they left, and he didn't like it much, but there also wasn't a great deal he could do about it at the moment. But he wanted some answers, and Lupin was the one who'd have to give them. 

"Why did you leave competition?" Severus asked bluntly.

To his credit, Lupin didn't break stride at Severus' nosey, almost rude inquiry. He didn't say anything at first, though, not until they turned a corner and headed down a sterile white corridor that was devoid of any other people. "I was injured, and I can't compete any more," he said quietly, his voice completely empty of any emotion. 

Severus considered the answer, which definitely had a dismissive tone to it, but he wasn't one to be put off easily. "So the rumors were true, then? You had a training accident? Odd, you don't look injured... or was this one of those that hurt so much you're afraid to get back in a Mecha again?"

There was a trace of scorn in Severus' voice; he'd been injured as well, and he'd still gotten back in his tin can and returned to the fray. He had no respect for someone who couldn't handle the dangers of his chosen profession.

Again, Lupin didn't respond. Instead he stopped in front of a door with an elaborate security reader, turned his face toward the retinal scanner and laid one hand upon the induction plate. "Lupin, Remus J., authorization Alpha Two Four," he murmured. The security device chewed on the collected information for a nanosecond, then with a soft click the door opened, and Lupin gestured for Severus to step into the room.

For half a moment Severus thought about refusing, but then he gave a put upon sigh and stepped inside. Better to get this over with so that he could tell Black to shove off and find him a new mechanic - a real one, not a washed out pilot - so he could get back to work. As he brushed past Lupin in the narrow doorway, however, Severus "accidentally" managed to brush against his arm, and was pleased to see Lupin's eyes widen slightly. If Lupin could be closed-mouthed and mysterious, the least Severus could do was try to rattle the man's damnable composure.

Then the lights came up inside the room, and Severus stopped in his tracks, all other thoughts driven out of his mind by the sight of the Mecha before him.

Human shaped, as all mechs were, this one was leaner, almost elegant compared to a normal suit of the cybernetic armor, the metal limbs curved and arched where a normal tin can would have had flat planes and rigid angles. There was something almost _alive_ about it, as though it might take a breath and step forward of its own accord to greet him. It was beautiful, gleaming bronze under the lights, and Severus recovered enough to shake his head. "That is not what Black showed me on the schematic," he said, turning to look at Lupin with eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"No, she isn't," Lupin agreed easily. "But since you're getting involved, I thought I'd show you this one first, so you can get some perspective. Severus, this is LILI - that's short for Low Interference Logarithmic Interface. She's my Mecha... and she's also the reason why I'll never compete again."

"LILI? What in the devil are you talking about?" Severus asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "This had better be worth my time."

Lupin didn't speak; instead he pushed back the sleeves of the plain grey shipsuit he wore and held out his arm toward Severus. Inset in his wrist, right between the bones where arm met hand, was a small oval plate, flesh colored and almost unnoticeable against Lupin's pale skin. Severus raised a brow. "So?"

"Have you ever seen a direct neural interface before?" Lupin asked, and Severus frowned and shook his head. He'd heard of such things, but most were experimental and considered highly dangerous - and on Borealis, they had been illegal, even for experimentation. Despite the advances science had made in all other areas, the human body proved to be a tricky and complex machine, and efforts to develop a stable, safe interface directly to the human brain had garnered often tragic results. "Well, this is what one looks like, or at least the ones produced by Black Star. Regulus has more going on than cybernetics, you see - bioengineering is its own department."

"I never heard that." Severus' frown deepened, wondering how Black could have hidden an entire research division in his company. Given that Black had spies on Borealis, though, perhaps it wasn't as difficult as it seemed. "Is this what he stole when he left Borealis?"

"In a way... but it's more than that." Lupin lowered his arm, his expression a calm mask. "Much more. When he left Borealis, one of the things Regulus brought with him were plans for neural adaptations for Mecha control. It was a different design than anything that had been tried before, since it relies on a genetic mod that only a small fraction of the human population can take. The man who developed the interface - who conceived LILI - called it the Wizard gene, because he believed it held the secret to finally allowing humans and machines to become one. He was from Borealis, too... his name was James Potter."

That name was familiar to Severus, and he raised a brow. "Another one of the 'old money' families, like the Blacks," he said.

"Yes - in fact Regulus and James Potter and Regulus' brother, Sirius, all worked for the same firm on Borealis, although Regulus didn't really get along with his brother," Lupin explained. Severus thought he saw a flash of something in Lupin's odd eyes, but it was gone so quickly that he dismissed it as imagination. "When Voldemort came to power, the research James and Sirius were doing was supposedly outlawed, but Voldemort merely stole it, wanting it for his own ends. Regulus was recruited into the regime, but James and Sirius resisted... and they were both killed, attempting to escape with their research. I think that is what caused Regulus to act. And he succeeded."

"So, you're telling me that this - " Severus gestured at the golden Mecha " - is what James Potter designed? And that you have a neural interface to control it?" He shook his head, not ready to believe that Black Star had succeeded where so many had failed. "How are you connected, then, and what in the devil does it have to do with me?"

"LILI was built from James' designs... modified by Regulus," Lupin replied quietly. "As for my connection, I was a friend of James and Sirius. I'm not from Borealis, but I went to school there. Even then I was interested in mechs, and as it turned out, I had the Wizard gene, so I stayed on to help them with their research. I was going to be their test subject, but then everything went to hell. I was trying to help them get away, but it was too late. I joined the resistance, and when Regulus contacted me, I helped him escape instead. When he decided to build LILI, it was only logical that he ask me to be the pilot. Things went well at first... but there was something we hadn't taken into account. And that's why I don't compete any longer."

"What, didn't it work?" Severus asked, intrigued despite himself. It was interesting enough that Lupin, who wasn't even from his planet, had joined the resistance, but even that paled beside the thought that they'd actually thwarted Voldemort and gotten away with it. Then he frowned again. "Or is that how you won so many matches?"

"Oh, it worked." A lopsided smile curved Lupin's lips, although the expression didn't touch his eyes. "Too well, perhaps. But no, I never used LILI in competition. I was simply a Mecha pilot for Black Star, one who happened to be good. When I was on hiatus after my last match, Regulus told me that he'd managed to finally construct the prototype from James' plans, and asked if I would be willing to take the interface. I agreed, since he gave very compelling reasons why this would be something not only good, but necessary. 

 

"I was given the implants, and then I was hooked up to LILI. The initial tests went perfectly, and we thought that this might finally be it, the breakthrough that had eluded science for a century. But then we went from simple manipulations into more rigorous trials, and that's when we found out that LILI had an... unexpected flaw."

By now Severus was fully involved in Lupin's tale. "What kind of flaw? Weren't there tests done first, experiments on animals... simulations? Are you telling me that you hooked yourself up to something without knowing what might happen to you?"

"As I said, the interface requires a genetic predisposition and a gene modification, so no animal testing was possible. And there were plenty of computer simulations run over the five years Regulus took to develop her... but unfortunately, sometimes you don't know what you don't know - trial and error is the only way to get through it."

Lupin's voice was flat, but Severus had no doubt the man was not as unemotional as he appeared. "So what did it do to you? As I said, you look healthy enough." It was a goading remark, but Severus wasn't worried about niceties. Lupin's eyes darkened, as he finally reacted to something Severus said.

"Appearances are deceiving," Lupin bit out, turning away from Severus and walking over to the Mecha, laying one hand on the cold metal. "We thought that the worst that could happen was that I might end up with some neural pathways burned out - it's not trivial, to be sure, but there are therapies to regrow them, methods used on victims with spinal cord injuries to help them regain sensation and movement. What happened to me was different, and worse - the interface at higher levels produced an ever-increasing logarithmic feedback spiral, which was attenuated by the onboard processors as it should have been to prevent burn out. But it rose high enough to burn out some of the molycircs, which meant that I couldn't cut lose from the connection. A rescue team had to cut me out, and by the time they did my neurons had been jammed into a constant state of stimulation."

"What does that mean?" Severus asked. He was not a biologist, but he was certainly educated enough to know that neural burnout could leave a person trapped inside an unusable husk of a body. "Couldn't it be fixed?"

Lupin didn't turn from the Mecha, so Severus couldn't read his expression. "What it means is that my neural pathways constantly on. It can't be fixed, but it can be treated, which is why I'm able to stand here having a conversation with you rather than lying on the floor screaming and writhing in pain. I'm on suppressant drugs at an almost toxic dose, and it manages to allow me to function, although the side effects can be less than pleasant. Still, it's better than the alternative."

Severus' eyes widened as the impact of what Lupin must be experiencing finally hit him. "Damn."

"That pretty much sums it up," Lupin said, then turned back to look at Severus again, his expression once again that unearthly calm. "It has its benefits, too, if you want to look on the bright side. My reaction times are extremely fast now, and I'm very sensitive to touch. And I never oversleep."

A small huff was the only response Severus gave, as he thought over what Lupin said. It was a horrible thing to have happened, but in a way Severus couldn't help but feel that Lupin brought it upon himself. Going through an experimental procedure, risking his life and his career for what? A suspicion that something _might_ happen? 

"All right, then," Severus said, crossing his arms again and fixing Lupin with an intense stare. "You've explained what happened to you. But I have no idea what this all has to do with me."

"I needed to give you the background, so you'd fully understand the opportunity being presented to you." Lupin turned away and started toward the back wall. 

Severus frowned and moved to follow him, becoming a little annoyed with all the mystery. But it appeared Lupin wasn't going to keep him in suspense for very long, because he simply opened another door and lead Severus into a second room. The lights came up, and when they did it was to shine on the silver and green body of the Mecha from the plans Black had shown him. This was more familiar, the shape far more utilitarian than the mech Lupin said was "his", but at the same time Severus knew that appearances were deceiving indeed.

"This is HARI," Lupin said, coming to a stop in front of the Mecha, then turning to face Severus again. "Highly Adaptive Reciprocating Interface. He is, if you will, the son of LILI, and of James, since he is yet another modification of James' theories. My godson, I like to think of him. Your Mecha... if you decide to take him."

Severus had to admit the mech was an impressive piece of work, yet he thought that Lupin must think he was crazy if he was going to allow them to give him some kind of experimental implants to pilot it, especially after the object lesson Lupin had just given him! He snorted in derision. 

 

"And why would I do that, after what you just said about your own condition?" he asked scathingly, looking Lupin up and down. "Do you think I've lost my mind? If you wanted me to do it, you probably should have kept your mouth shut!"

"That would hardly have been fair, now would it?" Lupin asked, not seeming at all perturbed by Severus' outburst. "You deserve full disclosure on the risks. But look at it this way - I was the guinea pig, and nothing that happened to me could happen to you, because it's been fixed in the new design. I've even operated HARI myself, and nothing unexpected happened."

"Then why don't you pilot him yourself? Why do you need me?" Severus wasn't mollified by Lupin's glib explanation. "Why in the world would you expect me to risk myself?"

Lupin was silent for a moment, then he sighed and raked a hand through his hair, disheveling his neat ponytail. Oddly enough, Severus found his pensive expression both reassuring and bizarrely attractive, proving that there really was a human behind those golden eyes. The thought annoyed him so much that he scowled. 

"We need you for several reasons. First, I can't pilot HARI for extended periods because the stimulation on my interface becomes unbearably painful," Lupin replied, rubbing his wrist in what seemed to be an unconscious gesture. "After about half an hour or so I end up screaming and have to be pulled out, so I'm of no real use beyond being a scratch monkey. Second... you're the only pilot Regulus has access to who also has the necessary genetic sequence; it's in your bio workup, and I told you it was rare, even more so when combined with the ability to pilot a Mecha." 

Lupin's expression suddenly went from pensive to grim, and the sudden hardness of his face and voice made Severus' eyes widen. "But most importantly, I think you'll want to do it, for the same reasons I took the initial risk. You asked what would make me take a chance on an untested technology? I did it because Voldemort isn't dead, and Regulus believes that not only does he have the plans for LILI, but has done his own modifications as well. There could be another war, Severus... and if Voldemort does have something like HARI, or, worse yet, an entire army like him, there is no way we could ever defeat him." Raising a hand, Lupin laid it on Severus' arm. "It wouldn't be a single planet this time. It would be the entire Sector... maybe the entire galaxy."

"All Black has is rumors and suspicions!" Severus glared, unreasonably annoyed that they were even asking him to do this, pressuring him through an appeal to his better nature or some such nonsense. But they would find Severus Snape was no fool, and not about to do something so idiotic just because Regulus Black had a theory.

"They destroyed the base, but they never found his body." Lupin's expression was troubled. "Everyone wanted to believe he had been killed, but the fact of the matter is that no one could prove it conclusively. Regulus certainly believes he's alive, and I trust his instincts. Even if he _is_ dead, you know that some of his chief supporters survived and managed to escape... and Regulus has been tracking them for years. They'd been slowly consolidating a power based from within prison, and recently the son of one of them was appointed to the board of directors of GenDyne...and GenDyne recently announced that they were working on a breakthrough in Mecha development - a breakthrough involving a new kind of neural interface."

Severus looked down at Lupin's hand on his arm, reluctant to admit that there might be something to Black's suspicions if that were the case. He was certainly cynical enough to believe that people so evil probably were capable of committing plenty of atrocities on their own, with or without the aid of Voldemort. 

 

"I would have to be insane to agree," he said, annoyed by the tingle of awareness he felt from the contact of Lupin's warm fingers, even through the material of his shipsuit, but he didn't push Lupin's hand away, choosing instead to glare at him. "All you've given me is a load of suspicions and it's going to take more convincing than you've done so far to get me to agree." Frankly, Severus couldn't think of anything Lupin or Black could offer that would change his mind, but he was willing to listen. For now. Listening was free - anything else might cost him far too dearly.

A smile curved Lupin's lips. "All I ask is that you let me try. I can be very convincing. Now, why don't I give you a demonstration of what HARI can do?"

With that Lupin pulled him toward a computer screen set off to one side of the Mecha, and Severus followed along, listening with interest despite himself. It was only curiosity, though, that made him stay. He wasn't going to be drawn into risking himself on an unproven technology simply because the former Emperor may or may not be alive and up to his old tricks, even if the person making the appeal was annoying attractive. He might be a temperamental bastard, but he simply was not crazy.


	2. Chapter 2

Obviously, Severus was crazy. That was the only reason he could give for how, one week after having been summoned to Black Star's orbital station, he found himself lying in a bed in the most luxurious, high tech hospital he had ever seen, having just wakened from the procedure which had outfitted him with his own set of neural interfaces. "Sockets," Lupin had called them, as if Severus were a power source about to have a lumo-panel plugged into him. Lupin had laughed when Severus had grumbled about it just before going into surgery, and then had gone on to say that Severus might be surprised at what he would be able to do afterward - and the twinkle in his eyes suggested something far less mundane than serving as a walking, talking light source.

The genetic modification he had undergone had been an odd experience, to be sure. Severus had never had a gene mod, and the tingling he'd felt over his entire body for the two days it took for his DNA to rewrite itself after introduction of the retrovirus hadn't been entirely pleasant despite the fact that he'd been kept unconscious for long periods of it. The medical staff, headed by a woman named Dr. Pomfrey who had managed to look both stern and motherly all at once, had needed him awake from time to time to monitor his condition. Other than the doctor and an ever-changing assortment of nurses Severus had only seen one other person, when Lupin had dropped in briefly to assure him that all was going well and that it would be over before he knew it. Severus had replied acidly that Lupin was obviously a idiot of epic proportions, to which Lupin had only replied with one of those calm, enigmatic smiles that made Severus long to do something to ruffle his calm.

After a day to recuperate from the mod, Severus was wheeled into surgery for a procedure he had been told would take place in stages over three days, although he would be kept unconscious the entire time while the new neural pathways grew through his body. He had been briefed thoroughly on everything that would happen to him, on how the procedure would be similar to ones used to regrow the nervous systems of critical injured people, only in his case it would instead make an entirely new network, one capable of operating anything with which he interfaced through his sockets. Dr. Pomfrey had answered all his questions with patience, never growing irritated with his exhaustive demands for information. She had explained the risks as well as the benefits, until finally Severus had lapsed into silence, contemplating whether or not he wanted to take this final, irreversible step. 

He had told himself his reasons for agreeing were completely logical; Black and Lupin had, after all, come through with evidence that someone had provided GenDyne with plans that seemed, at least from the general description, disturbingly close to Lupin's LILI. There were grainy, obviously clandestine holovids of a Mecha moving in a way that no Mecha could, with a smooth grace that rivaled a human in motion. That was the real advantage of a neurally controlled cybernetic robot - the Mecha was no longer something that a pilot "drove" like a piece of machinery but was now part of him, an extension of his body, operated with the same efficiency and dexterity with which he could move his own arms or legs. Only better, faster, stronger - a man in a HARI Mecha was no less than the most powerful soldier imaginable. 

Severus wasn't a soldier, or at the very least he hadn't been one in a decade, but there was no doubt in his mind that if this really worked, someone was going to assemble an army, one of absolutely unrivaled ability that would be able to lay waste to everything and everyone in its path. He retained a vision in his mind of another army, this one of normal Mechas, which had completely devastated an entire city down to the last man, woman, and child. One of those Mechas had held a younger Severus Snape, a man who had been so appalled and sickened by what he had been ordered to do that he had deserted his squadron and joined the rebels, determined to prevent other such atrocities. The dead had whispered in his ears at night when he tried to sleep, and haunted his every waking moment during the rest of the war, until subsiding at last when Voldemort had gone down in defeat. They had gone quiet, but never silent, and it was the whispering in the back of his mind which caused Severus to finally relent, logging his consent by voice and retinal pattern to allow Black Star Engineering to alter him irrevocably into something that would be an even more efficient killing machine, in the name of preventing a war.

Now he lay propped up in a bed in a room that more resembled a tasteful suite at a four star spacehotel than a hospital, except for the discreet panels with readouts of his vitals and the soft whir of hidden machinery. And the antiseptic smell, of course. He would have known he was in a medical facility by that if nothing else, as well as the fact he was attired in some coarse, open-backed gown whose design hadn't altered in nearly a millennia. Left to his own devices Severus slept nude, but somehow the medical profession still insisted that the human body needed to be covered. The Sector contained worlds where the exposure of any skin below the neck by either sex was considered a stoning offense, and worlds where public nudity was not only tolerated, but encouraged. Severus himself was easy enough in his own skin, even if that skin now contained more than it had a few days before.

He knew he had been avoiding doing what he eventually must, distracting himself with irrelevant thoughts, and he scowled in annoyance. Lifting one hand, he turned it over so that he could look at his wrist, which now looked similar to Lupin's. A flat plate was set between the bones of his wrist, indistinguishable on first glance from his own flesh. But he knew it was there. He could feel it, the same way he could feel the matching one in his other wrist, the ones implanted at each ankle, the base of his skull, and the one at the very bottom of his spine. He could also feel the way they were connected, the pathways running through his body; it felt odd, but only in the way things often felt more sensitive after an injury. He couldn't distinguish the sensation as being separate from his own body, and that was reassuring.

"It _is_ odd at first." Lupin's voice interrupted his reverie, and he glanced up to see Lupin standing in the doorway, watching him. "But you get used to it after a while."

Scowling, Severus fixed Lupin with a fierce glare. "Finally someone comes to pay attention to me," he groused. "I've been awake for nearly half an hour and was beginning to wonder if anyone would think to check if I were still breathing. This was hardly a like getting a hangnail removed."

"This is a state of the art hospital," Lupin reminded him patiently. "The bed alone has more monitors than I care to count. They don't need to check to see if you're still breathing in person." He approached Severus' bed, appearing amused. "I imagine they could tell you your blood pressure, temperature, BMI, and whether you had the bland chicken or the bland roast beef for lunch."

Severus' stomach rumbled at the mention of food, and he frowned, annoyed with his body for reacting to Lupin in any way whatsoever. "I have not had any lunch. Or breakfast, or anything for the last three days," he complained. "Where is that blasted doctor? It isn't as though this place has dozens of patients."

"Actually, only one, but being that it's you, I think we'll count it as half a dozen, at least," Dr. Pomfrey said, entering the room. She smiled at Lupin fondly, then moved past him to the bed, looking at the readouts on the wall panel with a practiced eye. "You have had a full adaptation to the procedure, I'm happy to say. It will take a day or two more for integration, but the best way to accomplish that is by actually putting your new equipment to use. That's Remus' job now. You're officially no longer a patient, Mr. Snape. You're released unless you experience any difficulties, but I'm not anticipating any."

"Really?" Severus was surprised at that, he'd thought that any hospital stay meant days of excruciating boredom while the doctors decided if he were, indeed, fit enough to be allowed to stand and use the bathroom on his own. At least that was how it had gone any time he'd injured himself in competition, and it was a bit disconcerting to have had a virtually untried procedure done and be released almost as soon as he had wakened. But he really didn't wish to remain, and so he threw back the covers and moved his legs over the edge of the bed. "The first thing I want is a decent meal."

"That can be arranged," Lupin replied, smiling. "Are you in the mood for anything in particular? I've been instructed to make certain your needs are taken care of while you learn to use your new equipment, and I suppose that can extend to a bit of catering."

In the process of rising from the bed, Severus turned to fix Lupin with a suspicious look. "Taking care of his needs" and "learning to use his new equipment" sounded strangely flirtatious when uttered in Lupin's husky voices. "It had better be good," he muttered, gaining his feet under Pomfrey's watchful eye. "Where the devil are my clothes?"

"There's a fresh shipsuit in the drawer," Dr. Pomfrey replied. Apparently satisfied that Severus could walk normally - although it felt _different_ \- she nodded. "I'll leave you two to get on with it, then. You both have my code, right? Well then, good luck, Mr. Snape. Hopefully we won't be seeing any more of each other. Remus... good luck." Her sympathetic look at Lupin seemed to indicate that she thought he'd need it, and Severus stuck his nose in the hair and crossed to the dresser, not acknowledging her further.

The top drawer did indeed contain a shipsuit, and underpants, and the few personal items Severus carried with him: ident tags, credit chit, and personal communicator. Unlike some people he didn't carry a bunch of two-dee images of family and friends, nor a plethora of cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. He traveled light, and it suited him completely. 

Pulling out the black shipsuit, he turned to look at Lupin, wondering if the man would stay while he changed. He wasn't about to ask, though, and he told himself it didn't matter anyway. He reached behind himself with one hand and tugged loose the pressure tape on the gown, letting it fall open at his neck, then began to tug at the waist closure.

Lupin turned his back, although his expression betrayed no embarrassment or discomfort. "You never did say what you wanted to eat," he said amiably. "Afterward, we'll start your training. The sooner you get comfortable with the sockets and their effects, the easier the transition will be, and the sooner we can move against Voldemort."

Severus wasn't certain if he were amused or disappointed that Lupin turned away, but he didn't allow himself to dwell on it. The man really got under his skin, for reasons he didn't care to examine too closely. He removed the hospital gown, laid the shipsuit on the bed, then stepped into the underpants, pulling them up with brisk efficiency. He couldn't help looking at the implants in his ankles for a moment, but then he reached for the shipsuit.

"Something spicy - after days of nothing I want something to remind me that I am more than just a collection of biological glop and artificial neurons," he said brusquely, pulling up the suit and pressing it shut in the front. "You can turn around now, I am no longer in danger of inciting your lust."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Severus." Lupin's voice was laced with amusement as he turned around to face Severus again. "I wouldn't want to overload your new system on the very first day with my wayward amorous impulses." Smiling pleasantly, he headed to the door. "Ready? We can pick up some Cygnus Curry on the way to the training facility. I understand it's one of the hottest dishes in the sector."

Nodding in agreement, Severus stepped into the soft-soled shoes which were standard footgear aboard space stations, then picked up his personal items and followed Lupin to the door. He'd seen little of Black Star's space station since his arrival, but he'd heard enough to know that Regulus Black kept his employees in comfort. Given what Severus now knew, he wasn't surprised that Black went out of his way to keep his employees happy and insure their loyalty. He had plenty of reason to fear industrial espionage, and possibly even assassination, given his actions during the war. 

Walking was an exercise in adjustment, and Severus frowned slightly, watching his feet and wondering at the additional sensations he felt as they contacted the floor. It didn't hurt, it just felt... _more_. 

 

"Does this take long to get used to?" he asked. "This... extraness?"

"I found it didn't take long to adjust to the new sensations," Lupin replied slowly, his expression thoughtful as if he was considering his response. "At the same time, you never really get used to it. Not completely. There's always that level of awareness, of sensitivity that sets you apart."

"Hmphf." Severus grunted, wondering if he would manage to get used to it. He had noticed it in his hands and on his skin, too, the way that the fabric of his clothing felt rougher, as though he were able to sense each individual fiber. "So I will be able to control things just as though they were another limb. Even now, after the procedure, it seems hard to believe it can be that natural. Even though you showed me before, I suppose I shall just have to experience it for myself." He looked at his hands as they walked along, flexing his fingers, touching one to another and noting that it felt almost electric, a hum of potential under the surface.

"Indeed you will." Lupin smiled again, although it was a different smile this time, not a mask of bland placidity; this time, he appeared proud, almost anticipatory. "There's nothing else like it. The unity you'll feel with your mecha... It's a connection unlike anything else, certainly far more than you can experience with a human. On some level, it's better than sex."

"Oh?" Severus' eyes widened at that, then narrowed as he peered at Lupin, wondering if perhaps the man were having him on. But nothing in Lupin's face spoke of duplicity. "Even after what it did to you? Even after the pain you have to suffer?"

"Well, I suppose if I'd known what would happen going in, I might have said no," Lupin admitted wryly. "But my condition is what it is, and at least I have medication to make it bearable. I decided long ago not to dwell on the negative side and to enjoy the benefits. There's no point to it, after all, and I don't want to be miserable for the rest of my life."

"Oh, a veritable saint," Severus said, his tone skeptical. "You have to get angry some times, I am quite certain. No one is that resigned to having their chosen profession taken away and being forced to take drugs for the rest of their lives. Weren't you angry with Regulus? Or with James Potter for getting it wrong in the first place?"

"There's a difference between acceptance and resignation." Lupin tucked his hands into the pockets of his shipsuit as they walked along, still speaking in that same thoughtful tone. "And anger is a choice. I don't _have_ to get angry, especially not about something that no one could have anticipated. It wasn't anyone's fault, and it would be pointless to rail at fate for something that can't be changed." He glanced sidelong at Severus and smiled. "Besides, you'll understand why I feel like I haven't lost everything once you're connected with HARI."

"I hate that name," Severus said, walking faster as they moved down the corridor. "I'll have to come up with something else, since it sounds like I would be connecting so some furry anthropod." He still didn't believe Lupin could be quite so sanguine about his condition, no matter what he said. In a way, though it was probably partially a reaction to his own inner qualm that what had happend to Lupin could happen to him as well. 

"It's your mecha now," Lupin replied easily, lengthening his stride to keep up with Severus' longer legs. "If you want to rename it, go ahead. No doubt you'll come up with an appropriate name once you've worked with him a while and figured out his personality."

"No doubt." They were approaching a cafeteria, Severus could tell from the sounds of cutlery and the scent of food that wafted down the corridor to meet them. His hunger sharpened, and he wondered if his senses of smell and taste were also more acute, but that was more difficult to tell. "Hurry up, Lupin, before I starve to death."

They stepped into the cafeteria, which was large and well appointed despite its obviously institutional function. Severus followed his nose toward the curry, picking up a plastic tray and disposable utensils from rack before approaching the row of heated, self-service dispensers, reading the labels before opening one and removing the dish of hot, delicious smelling food. He took a deep breath and placed it on his tray, then moved off toward the beverage dispensers. Satisfied with his choice of tea, he turned to look for Lupin, belatedly remember his companion, who had been completely ignored as Severus' body clamored for food.

Lupin was following along behind him at a polite distance, tray in hand and obviously waiting for his turn at the beverage dispenser. Severus couldn't tell from the nondescript container what Lupin had chosen, but it smelled good, if considerably less spicy than the curry Severus had gotten for himself. As soon as Severus moved out of the way, Lupin selected a beverage and then he regarded Severus, tilting his head quizzically.

"Ready? We can eat here or take it to the training facility, whichever you prefer," he said.

"I can make it to the training facility, if it isn't far," Severus replied, although he held his tray one-handed and used his fork to shovel a bite of curry into his mouth. The flavor was rich and intense and wonderful, and he sighed happily. "I may even just finish this on the way."

"Why don't we have a seat, then?" Lupin shook his head, appearing amused again, and he led the way to an empty table nearby. "That way, you can enjoy your food in peace rather than on the move. We aren't in that much of a hurry."

"Fine, twist my arm." Severus immediately moved to the nearest table and sat down, then began to dig into the food in earnest. After several bites he slowed down a bit, pausing to sip his tea. "Black doesn't skimp," he commented, then began to eat again. 

"No, that he does not." Lupin uncovered his dish and picked up his fork, tucking in with a seemingly hearty appetite of his own. "Regulus knows the benefits of spreading the wealth, and he certainly has enough to spread."

"When you start off with the treasury of an entire planet as your seed money," Severus said between bites. "Of course that was just a beginning. There was the money you made for the company as Mecha champion, and the money I brought in as well. He owes both of us for at least part of his success. Mechas do not pilot themselves."

"Of course." Lupin inclined his head in acknowledgment of the point. "He owes a lot of people for part of his success, including us, and he appreciates that. One reason I trust him is because he isn't so arrogant and egotistical that he fails to recognize those who helped him get where he is. In that, he's the opposite of..." He paused and glanced around at the other diners in the cafeteria. "You know who."

Severus did know who, and his lips quirked sardonically. Odd that he hadn't thought of the other people around, but then he'd not been in the position of discussing his reason for being here with anyone except Black and Lupin. Even the medical staff had kept their noses short, and he supposed that industrial security was something they were all trained in.

He had finished his food and was feeling much better for the sustenance. He picked up his tea cup again, watching Lupin over the rim, wondering if his motives could possibly be as purely altruistic as they seemed. Perhaps Black had offered him hefty payment for his role in all this, whereas Severus had gone in for more personal reasons. Borealis wasn't Lupin's planet, and it was hard to imagine anyone being so committed to the ideals of dead friends that they would continue to risk their life. 

Now, however, wasn't the time for more questions along that line. He waited until Lupin was finished, then put his cup down, suddenly eager to see exactly what he could do now that he'd let Black turn him into some weird hybrid of man and machine. "Shall we go?" he asked, pushing back his chair and picking up his tray. "If it is really better than sex, perhaps I shall even thank Black for twisting my arm."

Rising to his feet, Lupin picked up his tray as well, and that annoying secretive smile was back. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. You've always been able to make your mecha do amazing things. Well, now you've got the chance to take that innate talent to a whole new level."

"We shall see," Severus replied, turning toward the disposal and inserting his tray into the slot. He waited for Lupin to do the same, then started toward the cafeteria entrance. Now that he wasn't as focused on getting to the food he noticed people watching them as they left, and he wondered if it was because of his popularity in the arena, or if the people up here were so internally focused that they didn't recognize him and were simply curious about who the stranger could be. 

Lupin continued down the corridor they had been following, and Severus fell into step beside him. "How long will it take, for me to get decent at this? The new season is starting in a few weeks, and it will be noticed if I am not in the early rounds. You should know that quite well."

"That all depends on you and how well you adapt." Lupin obligingly set a quick pace as they walked along. "If you tackle this with your usual stubborn tenacity, it ought not be a problem. Besides, you've got nothing to do but practice, right? No obligations, no distractions. You'll have as much access to HARI as you want, and you'll be able to practice as much as you like." He tilted his chin up and gave Severus a stern look. "Although I'll be keeping a close eye on you during these first few days, just to make sure you don't overdo it. You're still recuperating, after all."

"I shall apply myself diligently," Severus drawled. They turned and started down another corridor, and within a few meters they had arrived at a door marked "Training". "So... this is it."

Lupin stopped in front of the door and turned to Severus, offering a reassuring smile. "Indeed it is. This is where you'll meet your new partner. I find myself curious whether the two of you will end up dancing or wrestling."

"I don't dance," Severus said, then drew in a breath and stepped in as Lupin opened the door. Inside was an enormous, mostly empty room, with a control desk at one side. In the middle was the Mecha, the chest plate open to show the compartment where Severus would sit while inside. The Mecha itself was over three meters tall, gleaming and powerful under the stark white light. 

Lupin had explained to him, before the procedure, that since his own nerve impulses would control the mech, all the miles of wires and circuits had been reduced to just a few used for safety features and interlocks. The motors were gone as well, and all the gears which had made older mechs little more than big robots driven by their pilots. In the new design - Severus really hated the name HARI, and refused to think of it as such - there was only a power source and the bio-active medium containing the neural paths by which he would make the Mecha move. 

"All right, then," Severus said, walking toward the Mecha and reaching out to touch one massive leg. "No time like the present, eh?"

"No indeed." Lupin approached, letting his gaze roam up to the top of the mecha in a clearly admiring gaze, and he reached out to stroke it lightly, even affectionately. "HARI, meet Severus. You'll be working with him from now on," he added, as if the hunk of metal could understand. It seemed Lupin anthropomorphized the mechas, perhaps more than was healthy in Severus' opinion.

Giving a snort, Severus moved to take Lupin's hand and move it away from the Mecha, a derogatory comment poised on his lips about pilots who got a little too attached to their mechs. But the minute his bare skin contacted Lupin's he stopped, his eyes flying wide with shock at the way something flowed between them, as intense as a jolt of pure electricity. It wasn't painful, but it was powerful, and his toes curled suddenly inside his shoes as the sensation seemed to slide over his skin and down his spine, just as though someone had caressed him simultaneously over every inch of his skin.

For the first time, Lupin lost his composure, a startled gasp escaping him as his eyes flew open wide at the touch; whatever had passed between them, Lupin had felt it too, and he jerked his hand back, holding it against his chest as if Severus had slapped it rather than merely touching it.

When they were no longer touching the sensation stopped, as abruptly as someone toggling a switch. Severus drew in a deep breath, looking at Lupin in consternation. "What in the bloody hell was that?" he asked flexing the fingers of his hand, which still tingled.

"I... suppose it was the effect of the sockets," Lupin said, his composure falling back into place, and he reached up to smooth his hair, schooling his features into pleasant calm once more. "We both have heightened sensitivity, after all."

Severus raised a brow, slowly regaining his own composure. "I take it that it is not that way when you touch anyone else? Or should I be concerned that brushing up against a stranger is going to give us both a nasty surprise?"

"No..." Lupin shook his head, still looking a little shell-shocked around the edges. "I mean, you'll be more sensitive to sensory input in general, but not like _that_. Then again, I've never had occasion to touch anyone who also has sockets. That may be the difference."

Intrigued, Severus nearly reached out to touch Lupin again, just to see if it was an aberration, but the way Lupin looked he didn't think it would be a good idea. Lupin's condition might very well make the sensation intolerable from his point of view, and whereas Severus had been surprised, he had to admit the sensation had actually been quite pleasurable on a visceral level. That, however, _was_ disturbing, the feeling that he actually wanted to touch Lupin again. The man was already maddening and, Severus admitted, very attractive, but with what they were involved in presently it would be sheer folly to also become involved with each other. Severus had always kept work and personal involvements strictly separate, and he'd not been involved with anyone in years anyway.

Pushing the subject out of his mind firmly, Severus turned away from Lupin and placed one foot in the opening in the Mecha's knee, grasping the handholds and hauling himself up with the ease of long practice. The interior of the Mecha was familiar, and yet at the same time everything was gleaming new and high tech, plus of course the physical controls to operate arms and legs were completely missing. Instead there were flexible cables, their ends sized perfectly to fit Severus' new sockets. 

"So, this is it," he murmured, looking down at Lupin with a raised brow. "No fanfare? Just... hook up?"

"No fanfare," Lupin affirmed, seeming to have shaken off whatever effect the touch had had on him. He took a few steps back and craned his neck to look up at Severus. "No arcane rituals involving the sacrifice of small animals. Just hook up and try to relax. You'll get a better and quicker response if you don't fight the connection."

Severus favored Lupin with a narrow-eyed look and a disdainful snort before reaching for the connections at his ankles, lifting his shipsuit and pressing the cable ends in place as he had seen Lupin do in his demonstration. He immediately felt what could only be described as a hum through his entire body, similar to the jolt he'd gotten from Lupin but much less intense. He moved on to the base of his spine where the slit in the back of his suit opened out and connected the interface there. The hum intensified, and he had a sudden feeling of other-ness, as though he were somehow growing even as he stood there. The socket at the base of his skull was easier, and by now he was sweating, breathing hard as the foreign sensations increased. He could sense it as his spine began to tingle, and he had to force himself not to pull away to escape the alien sensations. Pushing back the sleeves of his suit, he hurriedly made the final connections before he could give in to the fight-or-flight reflex, and as the hum suddenly cleared, Severus gasped as the sensation of being larger than life overwhelmed him.

He could see with his own eyes, sense his own fingers, but there was also another entire layer to his body now, the feeling of a skin outside his skin, and new parts of his body. In a way it was like the return of sensation after a limb has been numb, a pins-and-needles sensation as parts of his body he'd not even known he missed came back to life. 

 

He flexed his fingers, and they obeyed his command. At the same time the digits of the Mecha's hand imitated his movements. Power surged along his nerves, an adrenaline-type rush that left him giddy. He _was_ power, a giant three meters tall with muscles that could rip a man in half or punch through solid steel, and he chuckled, a sound not of amusement but of victory as endorphins coursed through him. 

Staring down at Lupin, Severus grinned wickedly. "I am become death, destroyer of worlds," he said, his voice deep and powerful.

Lupin rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. "It's a rather heady feeling, isn't it." He seemed to share the wonder of Severus' experience for a moment, perhaps remembering his own first time in LILI, but then his expression grew somber. "Not to burst your new bubble, but think about how you feel right now and imagine how someone who was _really_ power-hungry might feel in one of these mechas. I don't know about you, but I find that thought terrifying, and that's what we're trying to keep from happening. Death, the destroyer of worlds, come to life by the hundreds, perhaps thousands."

Severus froze, eyes widening as he realized that Lupin was right. He sobered, the rush of power no longer quite so entrancing put in that perspective. "Point taken," he said tersely, then began to flex and move the arms of the Mecha, marveling at the response. It did feel like controlling a part of his own body, although he could tell he was more clumsy and awkward that he could have liked, the movements jerkier than Lupin's when Lupin had demonstrated LILI. That, he knew, would be remedied with practice, just as when he'd first learned to pilot and had to figure out how to control the cybernetic giant he trained in.

Despite the sobering realization about how devastating the Mecha was, Severus couldn't continuing to feel a sense of satisfaction. His doubts about the wisdom of his decision were swiftly being erased as he slowly moved the suit around. He managed to manuever an arm to close his chest plate. As he did so, the visual receptors kicked in, and he could see with the eyes of the mech.

He could still see the inside of the suit with his eyes, but his own visual input was secondary to the overlay provided to his optical nerves. It was much better than the heads-up displays which were used in a normal mecha, although he had to hold very still, fighting a sudden sense of vertigo as he turned the mech's head and his perspective changed, his inner ear protesting that it was still motionless. "Dammit! I assume one adjusts to the visuals?" he asked, his voice relayed through the mech's external speakers.

"Yes," Lupin replied, pitching his voice louder so Severus could hear him. "It takes some time, but you'll adjust to everything, I promise. Just relax and keep practicing, and eventually, your body will adapt to the new sensory stimuli." He smiled and gave Severus a thumbs-up. "You're doing fine so far, I promise!"

Severus wasn't certain if Lupin was being truthful or merely encouraging, but the sound of his voice over the external pickups was reassuring. He started to move again, arms and legs going through the practiced motions by which any Mecha pilot checked out systems before a match. The mech responded like a dream, the neural interface so smooth that it was, as Lupin had said, rather like dancing. Severus snorted in self derision for giving in to the fanciful notion for even a moment. Damn Lupin for being correct, anyway; the man was making annoying habit of it. Yet Severus did like the feeling of being in his new Mecha. He liked the power, the connection, the fluidity.

Perhaps dancing might not be so bad after all.

"Excellent!" Lupin called up to him. "He's responding beautifully to you. I think he likes you!" A glance down showed Lupin was grinning up at him, but from the disadvantage of height, Severus couldn't tell if it was genuine or if Lupin was teasing him.

Severus snorted; Lupin seemed insistent on anthropomorphizing the Mecha, and Severus had never been prone to such fancies. Still, the Mecha was an extension of himself, so perhaps in this case it had some merit. But not HARI... no, this was a beast, a powerful, lethal predator, a hunter looking for its prey. Borealis had been a planet with large expanses of still-virgin forests, and Severus remembered as a young man on a school hike seeing just such a creature, perched on a rocky ledge and staring at the students below with glowing eyes. It had shown no fear of man, just a sort of wary watchfulness, and Severus had been fascinated with both its lethal power and its beauty. It struck him then that the creatures eyes had been just like Lupin's, a brilliant gold.

"Wolf," he said, naming the creature he had seen that day. No, he wasn't a fanciful man, but he needed a name for the Mecha, and that one would do as well as anything. At least it was better than something that sounded like an apple-cheeked schoolboy's name. 

The similarity between Lupin and the beast which had so impressed Severus had nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing at all.

________________

"Dammit, Lupin, I thought you said you fixed that stabilizer!"

Severus ground his teeth and grimly tried to keep his cumbersome Mecha from falling over on its right side. Unfortunately this was a regular Mecha, not his beautiful, responsive Wolf, and Severus didn't bother to hide his annoyance with the limitations placed on him by it. 

He couldn't use the Wolf in competition, of course; just as they were not supposed to know what GenDyne was up to with its "experimental" new interface, they couldn't show their hand yet either. Thus when the preliminary competition trials began again, Severus was forced to return to piloting one of the Gamma Six models. Prior to receiving his sockets, Severus had though the Gamma Six almost elegant, but now, in comparison to the Wolf, it felt awkward and clunky. It was like having to return to piloting a child's flitter after coasting among the stars in a lightspeed cruiser, and Severus' disgruntlement with the situation had been expressed more than once.

Smacking his hand down on the switch which would cut in the compensators on the failing side, Severus sidestepped the oncoming arm of his opponent's Mecha and grunted in satisfaction as the lumbering attack missed him. "You had best pray that I win this match, Lupin, or I'll have Black find me a new mechanic, and the consequences be damned!"

"I did fix the stabilizer." Lupin's voice was calm, and Severus could visualize the man's usual mild-mannered self by that tone. All of Severus' grumbling and complaining of late had done nothing to ruffle Lupin's tranquility, damn him. "Obviously, it's been damaged again. Maybe if you did a better job of covering your right flank, your opponents wouldn't keep hammering you on that side."

Severus ground his teeth and gave a growl of anger. Lupin's calmness was insufferable, unbearable, and absolutely maddening - in part because he was right. In competition Severus had a habit of committing himself completely to an attack, and as a result some of his opponents would pull back and attack his flank during the split second it took him to recover from a swing. Not many had the speed or agility to catch him out that way, but even inexperienced opponents got lucky sometimes, as this one had. But that didn't mean Severus wasn't going to berate Lupin for the equipment failure; Lupin was the mechanic, and it was _his_ responsibility to compensate.

Fortunately Severus' opponent for this early match _was_ inexperienced, and as a result Severus was able to press his attack and bring the Mecha down. As the lights on his panel flashed, indicating his victory, Severus smacked the release button, then jumped out of his Mecha and began to stalk off the plascrete. He scowled, determined to tell Lupin off, ignoring the cheers of the fans and the questions being shouted at him by the media. When he reached the pit, he began shouting.

"If you cost me a championship, Lupin, you won't have to worry about your job - I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!"

Lupin turned away from the diagnostic monitor and faced Severus with a calm smile, and he folded his arms across his chest as he met Severus' gaze evenly. "Don't be such a drama queen, Severus. I haven't cost you anything." He lifted his chin, a challenging light in his eyes. "If you can find a better mechanic than I am, do it. This is a temporary assignment for me, and my job isn't in danger no matter how many fits you throw. Besides, we're supposed to be a team. My repairs are only going to be as good as your maneuvers. We have to work together, or else this is a waste of time for both of us."

"BAH!" Severus threw his hands in the air. "I do my job, Lupin, just see to it you do yours!" It wasn't as much of a comeback as he would have liked to have made, but Lupin was so damned calm and _reasonable_ that it made Severus want to throttle him. Yes, he liked the thought of his hands around Lupin's throat, pushing him back against the wall and kissing that damned smile off his face.

Abruptly Severus drew himself up to his full height, going from heated fury to icy disdain. He did _not_ want to snog Lupin, no matter what images his traitorous mind wanted to throw at him. He whirled and started to leave the pit, only to be stopped short by the sight of a smiling blonde woman stepping inside. She had reporter written all over her, from the top of her coiffed head to the soles of her pre-space flight inspired shoes, and Severus sneered.

"No interviews!" he snapped.

"Oh, I don't want to talk to you," she said, waving Severus off as though he were of no consequence. She looked past him, smiling at Lupin in a way that set Severus' teeth on edge. "You're Remus Lupin, aren't you? My, my, but you've been away from the sport for a long time! My readers would love to know where you've been, why you've come back, and how you, um, enjoy working for Severus Snape."

Lupin had turned his attention back to his equipment, but at the woman's comment, he glanced up, appearing surprised at being addressed. "No interviews," he replied easily, his calm demeanor returning after only a momentary lapse.

Outraged at being dismissed, Severus crossed his arms over his chest and ground his teeth. "Oh, yes, _Remus_ , why don't you tell all the adoring fans where you've been for the last few years?" he drawled, some demon making him want to lash out. _He_ was the reigning champion, and he had been hauled into Lupin and Black's damned plans, possibly endangering any future titles he might win - why should he be overlooked? It was petty, even he could see that, but Lupin's calm in the face of Severus' anger, topped off with the adrenaline of competiton, was making Severus positively vibrate with fury. He smiled, his eyes narrow and glittering, his voice taking on a husky tone. "Tell everyone just how much you enjoy being with me."

Lupin breathed in deeply, and then he turned a pleasant smile on the reporter. "Very well, since Severus doesn't mind, I'll answer a few questions. As to where I've been, I've been fortunate enough to work for Black Star, which is how Severus and I connected. I've come back in this capacity because Severus is our best mecha fighter, and he deserves the best mechanic Black Star can offer. I consider it a privilege to work with him, and I think he's an asset to the sport, far more than I was."

The look he gave Severus was outwardly calm, but there was something in Lupin's eyes that seemed to dare Severus to make an issue about his comments.

Severus met that look with a sniff; he should have known Lupin wouldn't have dared to say anything controversial. 

The reporter seemed to have wit enough to catch something between the two of them, although it was obvious she wasn't certain if it was hostility or something else. When she looked at Severus again he sneered, and she hastily returned her attention to Lupin.

"Those are very kind words, considering The Snake's reputation," she said, and Severus caught the quirk of her lips that indicated that his reputation was nothing to be proud of. Then she smiled at Lupin again, all white teeth and pink lips, and without warning Severus wanted to tear every dyed blonde hair off of her head. "Are the two of you friends?"

"We haven't known each other long enough to be friends yet," Lupin replied politely. "However, I consider him a valued colleague. As for his reputation, all the greatest talents are entitled to their quirks, in my opinion. Severus' methods are unorthodox, perhaps even off-putting to some, but he gets results, and his temper doesn't bother me. I find him quite easy to get along with, although whether he feels the same way about me is something you'll have to ask him about."

Both Severus and the reporter were apparently equally surprised by Lupin's reply, although Severus felt a tic start at the outer corner of his right eye. Couldn't _anything_ break through Lupin's calm?

"Well, Mr. Snape?" the reporter turned, putting Severus on the spot because of Lupin's comment. 

Severus schooled his features to as much calmness as he could; perhaps two could play at this game. "Oh, I feel Remus is very easy, indeed," he said in a deep voice, his lips quirked in a challenging smile. "We make an excellent team, since we are very well matched. You might even say that he is the only one who _really_ understands me and knows exactly what I can do."

"Very true." Lupin agreed with Severus' outrageous remark without batting an eye. "I know what he can do, and I know what he's capable of becoming. Severus has incredible untapped potential."

"Really?" The reporter looked intrigued, and opened her mouth to ask another question, but Severus had had enough. Lupin wasn't human, that was the only explanation for the way he could take Severus' best attempts to ruffle him and not respond. Either that or the medication he was on to alleviate the neural overload had left him little better than a walking, talking puppet. 

"We have work to do now," he said abruptly, and took the woman by the arm, which seemed to shock her. He didn't give her a chance to recover, pulling her over to the entrance of the pit and then pushing her out. "Thank you for your time. Goodbye."

Apparently too stunned to protest, the reporter left without protest, and Severus turned back to Lupin. "Fix the stabilizer," he said curtly. "I will file the post-match report."

"All right." Lupin nodded and seemed on the verge of turning away, but then he paused and regarded Severus somberly. "For the record, I'm not going to make disparaging remarks about a teammate in public, especially not to a reporter. If you and I have a problem, I expect us to handle it between the two of us like adults."

"Of course you do," Severus replied, flipping his hand in dismissal. "Heaven forbid you ever say anything that wasn't reasonable and noble and completely insufferably _boring_." He turned and started to leave. "I'll be back in an hour to run a diagnostic."

Lupin gave him a surprised look, eyebrows climbing, and Severus thought he caught a flash of disappointment in Lupin's golden eyes before Lupin turned away. "I'll have the repairs finished by then," Lupin replied, and Severus had the inexplicable feeling he'd just been written off.

It shouldn't bother him. What did he care what Lupin thought of him? He didn't care what anyone thought of him, and he never had. Lupin just frustrated the hell out of him with his damned inscrutable calm, making Severus want to shake him until his teeth rattled. He didn't owe Lupin anything... so why did he feel guilty?

"You did well - and we won," he said gruffly, then headed out of the pit before Lupin could reply. It was a moment of weakness, nothing more. He'd make certain it didn't happen again.


	3. Chapter 3

Gaining the ability to interface with one Mecha via his sockets had done nothing to lessen Severus' ability to pilot the more mundane machines, and several matches into the competition season found him, as it had for the last five years, high atop the rankings. The competition circuit was grueling, as competitors and Mechas had to shuttle between star systems all over the Sector so that fans could get a look in person at their heroes. Modern day gladiators they were, their armor now three meters tall and powered by small fusion generators, but none of the appeal of bread and circuses had been lost on the masses in over two and a half thousand years. 

The Wolf, as well as Lupin's LILI, accompanied them from planet to planet, berthed in private compartments on the small, sleek liner that Black Star provided to Severus. Many less successful pilots had to travel aboard slower commercial craft, but not Severus Snape. As reigning champion he brought in enough revenue to Black Star in sales of their mechs to pay for a dozen star liners, and Severus himself could probably have afforded one if he truly wished it. So they traveled in comfort from match to match, with their secret weapons stored in safety against any eventuality. Not that they expected to need them until they reached the finals on Borealis, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Severus spent several hours each week in the Wolf, honing his abilities with it just as he had in his competition mech. Lupin coached him through these sessions, teaching Severus the limits to which he could push both his physical body and his cybernetic partner. Lupin himself remained polite yet somehow distant, which irritated Severus for reasons he didn't wish to examine too closely. Somehow Lupin had managed to get under Severus' skin, and Severus responded by treating Lupin with the same remote civility Lupin showed him. There were no more outbursts of anger, no more attempts to force Lupin to react to him. Maybe after a while he'd start to grate on Lupin just as much as the man grated on him.

They received regular, coded updates from Regulus Black, keeping them apprised of any bits of information he thought they might need. Industrial security on Borealis had grown even tighter, and Black's spies didn't have access to the most secret parts of the GenDyne facilities. There were a few more grainy holovids and some two-dee images of people coming and going from the facility in private hovercars, people who might or might not be some of the escaped Voldemort loyalists. It was all maddeningly vague, and Severus was starting to doubt that there would be much that he and Lupin could do even once they reached Borealis to find the proof Black wanted, not unless they suddenly got very, very lucky. Ideally they would be able to find and steal one of the Mechas GenDyne was producing, as well as recover some sort of evidence that the company was in league with the escaped war criminals. Severus knew that what Black really wanted was concrete proof that Voldemort was still alive and pulling the strings behind the entire operation, but Severus thought they might as well wish for the man to suddenly send a flare up into the sky to announce that he was hale and hearty and up to his old tricks. All they could do at this point was go on with the original plan, win enough matches to make it to the finals, and hope that luck was on their side.

The semi-finals were a double elimination match held on the planet Albus, a blue-green jewel of a world with an eccentric orbit around its primary, Gellert. In its summer phase Albus was a planet where the rich and famous loved to vacation, only to abandon the world in its winter months when it was virtually encased in ice. Of course the Mecha competition was being held in the summer, and tens of thousands of fans had flocked to the planet and its state-of-the-art arena to watch and cheer for their favorites. 

Including the current leader in the standings, Severus Snape.

Cheering crowds and even the looming mission on Borealis were not on Severus' mind, however, as he ran through the final system checks on his Mecha. As current leader he was seeded high in the competition, and his first match was among the last to be conducted for the round. He wasn't concerned about the match since he was playing against the competitor currently in eighth place, a relative newcomer named Crouch, but Severus didn't believe in leaving anything to chance. He frowned over the readings on his Mecha, then frowned at one of the values.

"Lupin, the power in the left jump jet is down five percent," he said, turning away from the console and glancing at his mechanic with a frown. "That will give an uneven thrust at maximum power. It needs to be adjusted before the match."

"Yes, Severus," Lupin replied, making a note on his data pad. "I'll make certain it's done in time."

And Severus knew it would be. For all that he grated on Severus' nerves, Lupin was more than competent as a mechanic. He was thorough, he followed up on what needed to be done, and his experience with mecha competition gave him an added benefit in that he knew the tricks and tweaks that could make the difference between winning and losing. Even without his background, he was a damned good mechanic, easily one of the best Severus had ever had, and that made Lupin even _more_ annoying, because it meant Severus finally had someone decent on his side who was a help rather than a hindrance, and Severus couldn't afford to lose him. Damn him.

Severus grunted in response, then stood and watched Lupin for a moment, the play of his hands over the equipment as he ran his own set of diagnostics with focused concentration. He knew that Lupin's light touch on the controls was because the sensation of touch was magnified for him, more intense than that of a normal human, just as Severus' was now. Everything seemed sharper and more intense, which was both exhilarating and occasionally maddening. Fortunately Severus wasn't a touchy-feelie person, because even a casual touch now was far from casual from his perspective.

He and Lupin hadn't touched skin to skin since Severus had just received his sockets, which was probably good for Severus' sanity. If a light brush of arms from anyone else was like being poked, from Lupin it would be like being hit by a Mecha. Which meant, of course, that Severus sometimes wanted to touch Lupin, just to see if the reaction would still be as powerful. It was ridiculous to be so fascinated by Lupin in this way, and made him scowl with annoyance at himself rather than Lupin for once.

What he really needed was some fresh air and a few meters' distance from Lupin, and so Severus turned to head from the bay they had been assigned for maintenance, deciding to take a walk to clear his head. He had barely reached the gated entrance, however, when he was brought up short by the sight of Lucius Malfoy, standing just inside the bay and looking at Severus with a nasty smile on his aristocratic features. 

"Well, well, what have we here?" he asked in an oily voice that made Severus feel like wiping his skin just to hear it. "Worried about your Mecha, Snape? We all know you rely on Black Star's technology to make up for your inadequate piloting skills."

Severus pressed his lips together in a grim line, his expression icy even as anger surged up. Malfoy was an old rival, one who had never beaten Severus in competition. Malfoy was obviously desperate to find some way to rattle him, and Severus wasn't about to let that happen. "Get out of my bay, Malfoy - your stench is bad for the circuits."

Surprisingly, Lupin appeared about as close to displeased as Severus had ever seen him, his usual placid neutrality replaced by a frown as he joined themmved to stand beside Severus. "Shall I call security, Severus? At the very least, I'd like to be certain Mr. Malfoy doesn't have a camera on him."

"Ah, yes, the mechanic," Malfoy jumped in before Severus could say a word, smiling at Lupin in condescension. "So apparently this is what happens when winners become losers - they ride around on the coattails of others looking for a chance to stay close to the glory they lost."

Severus' lips were white with anger, the crack about Lupin infuriating him. "Shut up, Malfoy, or I won't bother with security - I'll be more than happy to toss you out of here on your arse with my own two hands."

There was a flash of something in Malfoy's pale eyes, then he sneered. "You would, wouldn't you, Snape? You're the vulgar sort who likes getting their hands bloody. Oh, I know all about it, you see. You've heard of my wife Narcissa? Narcissa _Black_ Malfoy? She's related to your employer, but she also has... other connections. Connections who said you'd know something about a place called Godric's Hollow. So... does it happen to ring a bell?"

All the blood drained from Severus' face, and he could hear the voices in the back of his mind, the ones that had started rumbling when the memories had begun to return. It did more than ring a bell... it sounded a death gong, and it was all Severus could do to keep from swaying on his feet. 

He didn't think he would ever hear that name again. He didn't want to hear it, especially not from the lips of someone like Lucius Malfoy. Just as Black had secrets about his part in the war, so did Severus, and he was certain Black couldn't have found out because he was never part of the inner circle, Voldemort's "special forces". No, only someone who had been on the inside, the place Severus had so briefly been, would know of Godric's Hollow and its connection to Severus Snape, or to the man he had been all those years ago.

"Out. Get. Out." It was all Severus could manage, but it seemed Malfoy wasn't interested in lingering. Severus could see it in his eyes - his words had had exactly the effect he wanted, and now that it was done Malfoy had no reason to stay.

"Of course," Malfoy replied smugly, giving a nasty smile. "Good luck in your match, Snape - you're going to need it." With that he turned and walked away.

Severus simply stood there, staring after him, unable to move. Malfoy knew something he couldn't possibly have known, which meant he had access to records that shouldn't exist - or to people who had known the truth all along. A truth Severus had thought dead and buried, but which was apparently still alive. Horribly, sickeningly alive.

Lupin watched Malfoy go. He turned a puzzled frown on Severus, then shook his head. "Look, it's obvious what Malfoy said got under your skin, and if you want to shout about it later, I'll listen," he said. "But right now, you've got a match to think about, so forget him, okay? He's trying to play head games with you, and you know better than to let him."

Numbly Severus turned, staring at Lupin as ice flowed through his veins. Malfoy _was_ playing games, yes, but there was no way Severus could possibly forget about it. Those words from Malfoy's lips did more to convince him that Regulus Black wasn't crazy in his suspicions than any number of holovids or reports from spies. Lupin didn't know - couldn't know - but Severus wasn't about to enlighten him.

"I'll be back," he said hollowly, then turned back toward the entrance once more. He didn't know where he was going to go, he just knew he had to get away, as far away as he could, at least for a little while. There was no running away from what he'd done, not if Malfoy knew, but he simply couldn't deal with Lupin and his calm detachment at the moment. He needed to be alone.

Unfortunately the voices of the dead would make sure that there was no escape for him. There was simply no hiding from his own guilt.

* * *

For once, Severus Snape was losing.

Deep within there was a part of him snarling and sneering and berating himself for his weakness, but that bit of him was simply overwhelmed by the part that was in shock. He wanted to deny that any of it was true, to ignore what Malfoy had said and simply push through, the same way he'd battled through injury and adversity in the past until he was victorious. But his concentration was broken, the memories of horror that he'd suppressed suddenly fresh in his mind, making his fingers tremble as though it were ten years before and the blood still fresh on his hands. 

His opponent was young and eager and apparently could sense the unaccustomed slowness of Severus' movements, for he began to press his advantage, raining blow after blow on Severus' armor, until Severus' ears rang with the metallic clanging. It had taken Crouch a round to figure out that Severus wasn't baiting him, but now that he'd figured out that there was something wrong with his opponent, he didn't hesitate to close in for the kill.

"Severus, what's going on?" Lupin's voice cut through the din, and for once, he could hear an edge in it, Lupin's calm sounding frayed around the edges. "Are you okay? I'm not picking up any malfunctions."

"I'm fine." Severus barely recognized his own voice, and he wasn't certain why he even bothered to answer. It was as though he were somewhere else, certainly not in a Mecha in the middle of a match. Or maybe it was simply that he wished he were far away, able to hole up and lick his wounds. He raised the arm of his Mecha as Crouch started another attack, but it turned out to be a feint, and Crouch spun to his other side, landing a resounding blow on Severus' left shoulder that made half of the tell-tales on his panel flash lurid crimson. 

Like blood. Why was it always like blood?

"Then get your head out of your arse and into the game!" Lupin sounded as close to angry as Severus had ever heard him, barking out the command in a sharp, staccato tone. "Unless you _want_ to lose to an overeager newbie!"

A game... it really was all just a game, wasn't it? Severus shook his head. This wasn't life and death, not like it had once been. _This_ didn't matter, and Lupin was a fool if he thought it did. Malfoy knew... and soon the entire Sector would know.

Crouch barreled toward him, and Severus made a half-hearted attempt to sidestep, but it was too little, too late. Crouch's mech slammed into his like a runaway starship, and Severus was blown backward off his cybernetic feet, landing with a sickening shriek of metal. His head slammed back painfully against the padded headrest, hard enough that he bit his tongue and his vision went grey at the edges. Every indicator in his vision was red, and his Mecha automatically sent out the signal signifying his defeat.

"Damn it!" That was the last Severus heard from Lupin before the communication link went dead, which meant Lupin had cut it - an unexpected move since it was usually Severus' role to curse and shout. Not that what Lupin thought or did mattered. Black and Lupin were at fault for pulling him into this damned mess! 

Hitting the release, Severus waited until the magnetic straps holding him in place retracted, then pulled himself out of the Mecha, sliding down the side and landing on the plascrete awkwardly, his head spinning. The crowd in the arena was eerily silent, but he paid it no mind. Nor did he acknowledge Crouch, who had left his own Mecha and was striding toward him. All Severus wanted to do was get the hell out of the arena and find a place where he could numb himself even more, until the whispers of his conscience were completely silent.

Deliberately turning away from Crouch, Severus headed to the closest exit, ignoring the medical mech that zoomed over to him and bleeped at him urgently. He could taste the copper of blood in his mouth, could feel it seeping from the corner and running to his chin, but he didn't care. He could still walk, and that meant he could get away. Away to someplace that had a bottle deep enough that he could crawl in and never have to come back out again.

* * *

"Hey you - 'nother round?"

Severus looked at the glass in front of him, realized it was empty, and nodded tersely at the bartender to indicate another round. Or it would have been tersely if his head hadn't wanted to explode in pain. 

He winced and lifted a hand to his forehead. There was a knot there, but it didn't worry him. Nothing worried him too much at the moment, except for keeping himself numb enough to not remember why he was here in the first place.

The big man behind the bar appeared in front of him, filling his glass before passing his credit reader over the bracelet on Severus' wrist to collect payment. Any responsible bartender would have kicked him out at least an hour ago, but Severus hadn't chosen this bar in the hopes it had anyone ethical dispensing drinks. All he'd wanted was a place that would keep pouring, and he'd found it, in the lower levels of the main city where the tourists never ventured and the denizens were the sort that stayed on the planet even during its winter phase, numbed more by the alcohol than the cold. No one cared who he was, not here; no one recognized him, and that was a blessed relief. Lifting his glass, Severus silently toasted being just another faceless drunk with a past no one cared about, then tossed back half the contents.

Before he could finish the rest, however, the glass was plucked from his hand, and he heard a familiar voice behind him, the words obviously directed to the bartender. "He's had enough. Cut him off."

"Fuck off," Severus said, pleased that he was able to say the words distinctly. "You aren't m'mother. More, bartender."

The bartender looked like he wanted to argue with Lupin, obviously more concerned with the loss of revenue than his clientele's health. There must have been something on Lupin's face, however, for suddenly the man shrugged. "You've had enough, mate. Go on, let the man take you home."

Lupin slammed the now-empty glass down on the bar and gripped Severus' arm firmly. "You aren't getting anymore here, and no reputable bar will serve you. You might as well come with me," he said, his tone brooking no argument.

Severus looked up at Lupin, glaring as best as he was able. "Go 'way. M'not your problem."

"Unfortunately, you are," Lupin replied grimly, not releasing Severus' arm. "Either you get up and come with me, or I'll knock you out and carry you. Either way, you're leaving this bar now."

"You wouldn'," Severus replied in as haughty a tone as he could manage. Even in his inebriated state, however, he could see something in Lupin's eyes that indicated he was quite serious, indeed. For a long moment Severus considered resisting, just to see if he could push Lupin over the edge, but then he shrugged, pushing to his feet and jerking his arm away from Lupin's grip. The motion made his head swim again, and he closed his eyes long enough for the world to right itself. Then he cracked an eyelid and frowned at Lupin. "Fine. I'lleave. Jus' go 'way, Lupin. Don't want you here."

"What you want doesn't concern me at the moment," Lupin retorted, gripping Severus' arm again and steering him to the door. "Besides, if you think you can make it home without passing out in the gutter or getting robbed, you're crazy."

Severus snarled, trying without success to pull his arm away. "I don't care," he muttered. "G'back to Black and tell'm I quit."

Lupin gave him a look of pure disgust and yanked his arm, practically dragging him out of the bar. "At the moment, I feel like I ought to," he snapped. "If we didn't need your skills, I would. I can hardly believe I used to admire you, but the reality has been one disappointment after another."

"Shut up!" Severus didn't want to hear these things, especially not from Lupin. "I never asked f'your admiration," he said, feeling an inexplicable stab of pain. "M'not here for you. You prob'ly never did a bad thing in your whole _life_ , right? You don't know me. You don't want t'know me!"

"No, _you_ don't want me to know you!" Lupin retorted as he hustled Severus into waiting hovercar. Of course the sleek black limo was courtesy of Black Star. "You don't get to accuse me of not knowing you when you do your damnedest to keep everyone at arms-length."

Severus slouched back against the neo-leather seat, turning his face away from Lupin. His head was pounding, and he wasn't drunk enough to shrug off what Lupin was saying. He lapsed into a stony silence, staring out the window and willing the limo to get to the hotel so that he could go to his room and get the hell away from Lupin and his _disappointment_. Severus didn't ask for admiration! All he wanted was to be left alone.

When the limo drew up at the hotel, Severus slapped at the door release and stood, swaying for just a moment before tightening his jaw and heading toward the doors. The doorman recognized him and apparently wanted no part of the furious glare on Severus' face, for he opened the door and stepped back, allowing Severus to storm inside. Severus had to get his bearings once in the lobby, but then he stalked off toward the lifts, unaware that his steps were not as straight and sure as he thought.

Lupin kept pace with him, walking beside and a little behind Severus like his personal bodyguard. Or self-appointed nanny. He said nothing more, but Severus imagined he could feel the palpable waves of disapproval radiating off Lupin nonetheless. It did nothing to improve Severus' mood, and by the time they reached their ajoining rooms Severus was almost seething.

He pressed his palm against the door, which unlocked as it recognized him, then turned to face Lupin, his chin lifted. "Tell Black he was right - Voldemort's followers are alive and well and no doubt are planning everything he suspects. He'll just have to find someone else to be his weapon." With that he turned and started inside his room. The sooner he packed and got the hell away from here the sooner he'd never have to face Remus Lupin again.

But he wasn't able to shake off Lupin so easily; Lupin was right on his heels and followed him into his suite. "How do you know?" Lupin demanded. "Was it something Malfoy said?"

Severus whirled, a bad idea for he lurched to one side and had to put out a hand, catching himself on the edge of the wall. "None a'your business!" he snapped. "Jus' leave me 'lone, Lupin. Don' need your admiration 'r your pity! You're the fuckin' hero, not me!"

Lupin planted his feet firmly, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere, and he folded his arms across his chest, frowning at Severus. "You don't have my admiration or my pity," he said matter-of-factly. "Believe me, I won't burden you with either, but if you expect me to return to Regulus and tell him he's right, I need more than just your say-so."

Staring at Lupin, Severus suddenly felt himself deflating, his anger giving way to exhausted resignation. What did it matter, anyway? Why should Lupin's opinion matter? He'd know the truth soon enough. No doubt Malfoy would have it splashed all over the news.

He moved to the sofa and sank into the cushions. He was tired of fighting, tired of everything. 

"Fine," he said, his voice as hollow as he felt. "Tell Black that Malfoy mentioned a place... a place he couldn' possibly know 'bout, unless he'd been told by someone close t'Voldemort. Prob'bly one of the escapees - one of 'em's Narcissa Malfoy's sister. Lucius works for GenDyne so there's no way they aren't rotten to the core."

"I see." Lupin sounded more like his usual self. The edge in his voice had softened although his expression was no less implacable. "That's certainly compelling evidence, and I'm sure Regulus will be glad to hear it, but it isn't enough to convince anyone else. We still need concrete proof. We still need to follow Regulus' plan, which won't be possible if you keep pulling stunts like you did today."

Severus stared at Lupin, not certain he was hearing correctly. The haze of the alcohol was receding, but in its place the clamoring of his conscience began. "Are you really that dense?" he asked, then dropped his head into his hands. "Or didn' it occur to you to wonder how _I_ know about the place Lucius mentioned?"

"Of course I did," Lupin replied evenly. "I can even guess what place. I was standing there when he taunted you, and contrary to what you might think of me, I'm not stupid. If you want to tell me about your connection you can, but I assumed you'd tell me to fuck off again if I asked."

A bark of laughter escaped Severus, but there was no mirth in it. "You'll be the one telling me to fuck off," he muttered. "Black thinks he knows everything, but he doesn't. At least not about me." He raised his head and looked at Lupin, steeling himself to face the condemnation in his face. 

"I wasn't simply a soldier who defected from Voldemort's army... I was one of his best pilots. I was recruited and I stayed, pleased that someone finally recognized my talents. I wanted to move up higher, and I was given command of a squadron... a squadron that was assigned to take out a lab in a place called Godric's Hollow. Only it wasn't just a lab... it was a town, a town full of civilians. Old people, and children... and I was ordered to kill them all."

He could see Lupin go still, and Lupin's expression turned blank, but he didn't lash out. Instead, he regarded Severus steadily.

"And?"

"The scientists running the lab surrendered," Severus replied, feeling numb again, a defensive mechanism to allow him to talk about something he'd never told a living soul. "I... questioned my orders, and was told that if I didn't carry them out my second in command would kill me instead. Voldemort didn't care in particular about that lab, he just wanted to make an example to the people of Borealis that defying him would lead to their destruction. So I ordered the lab blown up, but... I didn't know that it had been booby-trapped. The whole place exploded - the lab, the town, my squadron. I think some of the people got away, but I don't know for sure. Somehow, I escaped - pure luck, somehow my Mecha got caught up in the blast front of the explosion and hurled far enough that I wasn't caught in the firestorm."

Lupin studied him for an agonizingly long moment. "Is that when you turned against him?"

"Yes." Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We were an elite squadron that reported directly to Voldemort directly, and I knew they would think I was dead as well, so I was free... I joined the resistance, not telling them who I really was or what I had done." He looked at Lupin, hearing the explosion again in his mind, seeing the unbelievable destruction that had haunted his nightmares for years. "I didn't mean for them to die. I thought if we destroyed the lab the people in the town would hear and be able to escape before we went after them. But that doesn't matter, because they died anyway. Their blood is on my hands, and I did everything I could to try to atone for it. I should have known it was too easy, that it would come out at last. Trust me, Black won't want me anywhere near his company after this - he very well might want me dead. At the very least, if Malfoy makes this public, it will ruin Black Star."

"We'll leave that decision up to Regulus," Lupin said, sounding more like his usual calm, pragmatic self again. To Severus' surprise, there was no horror in Lupin's eyes when he looked at Severus; he had appeared far more disgusted when he'd found Severus in the bar, which made little sense to Severus' booze-addled brain. "In the meantime, you need to stop wallowing and _think_. If Malfoy was going to use this information to discredit you, he would have done it already. If he does go public, he'll have some difficult questions to answer, and I doubt Voldemort wants so much as a hint of his presence leaked before he's ready."

Severus frowned in confusion. "Don't you care, Lupin? I killed an entire town of people! I'm not wallowing, damn you, I'm _guilty_! I lied to Black, and to you, and to everyone. Regardless of what Malfoy does, don't you hate me for being a killer?"

"No, I don't," Lupin replied evenly, still standing there as if nothing was wrong and Severus hadn't just spilled his darkest secret. "If you were a killer, you wouldn't be here, working with me and Regulus. You'd be with Malfoy and the rest at GenDyne. You made mistakes, and they were big ones, but you chose what side to fight on and proved you aren't a killer. I'm sorry for what happened at Godric's Hollow, but after what happened to Sirius and James, I don't doubt you would be dead now if you hadn't followed orders. Maybe someone else would say you should have let yourself be executed rather than follow those orders, but I don't feel qualified to pass judgment on a decision made under extreme pressure in the heat of battle." He shrugged and released a slow breath.

"At any rate, _you_ didn't kill an entire town of people. At best, you were a tool. The orders came from Voldemort, and the mass destruction came from whomever booby-trapped the place. You aren't responsible for that."

Lupin's words were like a balm to Severus' tortured soul. He'd never told anyone before, certain that he would receive nothing but condemnation for what he had done. That Lupin, who had been there, lost friends in the war, could be so forgiving was a surprise and a relief. Severus wasn't quite so willing to forgive himself, but just to know that Lupin didn't blame him eased his conscience, at least a tiny bit.

"You're too bloody noble," Severus muttered, but there wasn't any heat in the words. He closed his eyes, slumping back against the sofa, feeling more drained than he could remember ever feeling in his life. "I was in hiding after the war. I spent five years waiting to see if my name would ever come up in the criminal proceedings. When it didn't, I did the only thing I felt I was any good at - I went into the competitions. You were already gone by then; otherwise I suspect we would have ended up competing against each other."

"That might have been interesting," Lupin replied, moving to take a seat at last, although he chose a nearby chair rather than joining Severus on the sofa. "I suspect you would have won. You're more ruthless than I am." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at the knee, regarding Severus with an unreadable expression. "I have no idea why you think I'm so noble, though." 

Severus shrugged, opening his eyes just enough that he could see Lupin. "I'm ruthless because I've had t'be. Not everyone has rich friends. I came from a very bad area, and I had to fight for everything. I feel as though I've been fighting m'whole life." He paused, then sighed, not really wanting to continue, but for some reason unable to stop himself. "And you're noble for forgiving me, after I've been a right bastard to you. On purpose, yes... it's too dangerous t'let people close. Keeping 'em at a distance means they can't hurt you."

"It also means they can't get to know you," Lupin pointed out with annoying pragmatism. "Getting hurt is the risk you take in getting close. You can't really have one without the other. You _have_ been a right bastard to me, but forgiving you doesn't mean I'm noble." He shrugged again. "Holding a grudge would hurt me more than it would hurt you, and I have enough pain to deal with. Compared to my neurological issues, everything else is small potatoes and not worth dwelling on."

Lupin's words made Severus frown. He had nearly forgotten about Lupin's problem with the implants since Lupin rarely mentioned it. "Did it hurt?" he asked, suddenly curious. "When I touched your hand, that one time? You're very careful never to touch me in any way, so it must have been agonizing."

Lupin went still again, and his eyes widened slightly, but he quickly drew himself up and shook his head. "No, it didn't hurt," he replied. "It was merely... unexpected."

"Oh?" Lupin's answer surprised Severus, and he snorted, waving a hand. "I thought it felt... stimulating. 

"So you simply have no desire to touch me at all. Fair enough. I was just curious if it would happen again." It had been too long since Severus had had so much to drink. He'd forgotten how his mouth tended to run when he relaxed and let his guard down.

Lupin gave him a long, level look with one eyebrow cocked. "Severus, you have made it _abundantly_ clear that you don't like me, that I annoy you, and that you think I'm stupid and incompetent. All things considered, I assumed _you_ have no desire to touch _me_."

Severus shrugged again. "I assumed it hurt you, the way you snatched your hand away," he murmured. "I yell, but I'm not so much of a bastard as to want to actually hurt you."

"That's good to know," Lupin replied with bland amusement. "At any rate, no, you didn't hurt me."

Lupin's mask was back, it seemed, and it irritated Severus to no end. For some bizarre reason he almost preferred Lupin being annoying with him, or even disgusted with him, because at least that was a _reaction_ , not a polite facade. Giving a huff of annoyance with himself for giving a damn about how Lupin acted, he lurched to his feet. "I'm going to bed," he announced sulkily, then began to unfasten the top of his jumper. "You go report to Black or whatever it is you do."

Lupin watched him, appearing surprised by the sudden shift in the conversation, but then he shrugged and rose as well. "I'm going to talk to Regulus and get back to work on repairing your mecha." He lifted his chin slightly as if in challenge. "Assuming you don't still intend to bail out."

Severus stopped, looking at Lupin, searching his face. He couldn't even say what he was looking for, but the question rose to his lips unbidden. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked, his tone uncertain. 

Lupin cocked his head and regarded Severus quizzically. "It isn't my decision, it's yours. I don't understand you," he said, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Why does it matter if I want you to stay when you've made your feelings about me clear?"

Severus was rather exasperated himself, and he threw his hands in the air. "You say I don't let anyone close, let them get to know me, and now I try and you push me away! Fine! I don't understand you, either! I wanted to touch you but I didn't because I thought it hurt, so how could I get close? GAH! Forget it!"

At least Severus had the satisfaction of seeing Lupin's mask dissolve into bewilderment as Lupin stared at him. "You... want to touch me?" He shook his head, visibly confused. "Why?"

Frowning, Severus shrugged. "I just did. To see if it still felt... the way it did. Never mind - I shouldn't have said anything."

"Oh. An experiment, then." Lupin appeared to deflate a little at that, and Severus thought he heard disappointment in his voice, but then he shrugged and approached Severus. "Here," he said as he pushed up his sleeve and held out his bare arm. "Go ahead. It won't hurt me."

Surprised, Severus blinked, trying to wrap his still fuzzy mind around Lupin's gesture and his tone. Then he shook his head. "Not an experiment, not really, just because..." He felt out of his depth; he thought he'd rather have Lupin disappointed than that damned bland mask, but now he knew that wasn't true. Obviously, he was going mad, and he muttered to himself. "I just wanted to, all right? I don't why I find you attractive when you drive me out of my mind!"

Lupin let his arm fall back to his side, and he stared at Severus, looking gob-smacked. "You find me attractive," Lupin repeated, sounding as if he didn't quite believe what he was hearing or saying, and then he gave a low chuckle and raked his fingers through his hair. "You have a very odd way of showing it. I've never been courted with shouting and vitriol before."

It was Severus' turn to stare, as he realized that he'd actually said the words loud enough for Lupin to hear. His face flushed. "I am not courting you," he said with a sniff, wanting to yell and scream but suddenly far too tired to care about doing either. "Just go away, Lupin, I can't deal with you right now. If I'm going to compete tomorrow I need to sleep."

"All right." Lupin turned away and headed for the door, but he stopped before exiting and glanced back over his shoulder. "Be sure to drink some water before you go to bed. Your hangover might not be as bad in the morning if you aren't dehydrated. And..." He paused, seeming on the verge of saying something more, and then he shook his head. "Anyway, you needn't worry. About that last bit, I mean. I know better than to take drunken ramblings seriously."

Severus watched Lupin leave, the door closing behind him softly, and then scrubbed at his face with with hands. Somewhere along the line things had gotten completely away from him. Lupin had managed to convince him to stay and continue the mission, when Severus had been fully prepared to get the hell out before Malfoy ruined him and Black Star and everything. Lupin had managed to shake him out of his self-absorbed misery, gotten him to admit things he'd never dreamed of telling anyone, and Severus wasn't certain if he should thank the man or throttle him, especially since he continued to be so damnably calm! Oh, Severus had shaken him a bit, but nothing seemed to really get beyond Lupin's walls for long. 

Continuing into his bedroom, Severus stripped, drank a glass of water - he did _not_ need Lupin to tell him how to treat a hangover, damn it - and climbed into bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered just how he could really get past Lupin's defenses and force the man to make some admissions of his own. Of course, in his tired state, it somehow never occurred to him to wonder why he even wanted to try.

* * *

"Longbottom is down! That's it - Severus Snape advances to the finals!"

The announcement rang through the arena, and Severus cut the power to his Mecha, then disengaged and jumped down to the plascrete. Once again the crowd was cheering for him, the chants of "Snake! Snake! Snake!" washing over him in a manner that was almost soothing. He could live without their adulation, certainly, but there was something about the reminder of who he was and what he was good at that was almost comforting. Not that Severus would ever admit that he was uncertain enough to possibly be in need of comfort.

Of course it was all Lupin's fault. After the night when he'd lost the first match and he and Lupin had talked, something had changed. Severus wished that he could remember more of what had been said, but perhaps it was best that he didn't, since what he _could_ remember was disconcerting enough. He remembered telling Lupin about what he'd done back during the war, and that Lupin hadn't been horrified, which was still a bit of a shock. There had been other revelations, too, he was sure, but his subconscious had apparently blanked them out. All he knew was that Lupin had been looking at him more in the last several days, quiet, pensive looks that made Severus unaccountably twitchy. Despite that, however, he'd not been as snappish as he might have been; if Lupin had seen fit to not label him a murderer after learning about Godric's Hollow, the least Severus could do was hold his tongue instead of lashing out blindly. It was all in the name of the mission, anyway.

Despite lapsed memories and sidelong glances from golden eyes, Severus had recovered enough to win all his matches, placing him once again within striking distance of victory. He'd fought like a man possessed, which, in a way, he probably was. Whatever had happened that night between he and Lupin, Severus' resolve had hardened and he knew that come hell or high water he had to make certain that GenDyne and Voldemort didn't manage to construct a fleet of HARIs. No matter what he had to do to achieve that goal.

Fortunately the loss of a single match wasn't the end for him in a double-elimination tournament, and with Lupin's help he'd held on to victory through six more rounds. Tomorrow, then would be the last semi-final battle before the tournament moved to Borealis and the finals - and the person he would be battling was none other than Lucius Malfoy.

Not that Severus was displeased about it, not really; Lupin had been right, Malfoy didn't dare go public with his accusations lest he be questioned about how he had come into the information. Which meant that Lucius had been trying to rattle him into a loss, no doubt because he didn't think he could win against Severus without it. He was probably right, too; Severus had been in competition with Lucius for years, and never once had the aristocratic, sneering bastard beaten him. 

Striding toward the pit, Severus drew himself up straight and smoothed his hands down his jumpsuit. Not that he cared what Lupin thought of his looks, of course. He stepped down into the room, spotting Lupin at once. "That's it, then," he said, reaching toward the hook where he'd hung his clothing before changing for the match. "We've done it, into the finals. Black ought to kiss our arses for making this so easy for him."

"Congratulations," Lupin replied, giving him a nod of approval. "I'm glad to see you didn't let Malfoy get the best of you after all."

Severus shrugged, not comfortable with the reminder of how he'd let Malfoy get to him. "Are you going to the banquet tonight?" he asked, changing the subject. The lavish dinner held the night before the last match was a tradition, but Severus hadn't bothered to attend any in years. He was considering going to this one, however, and was curious about what Lupin was planning to do.

"I'm not much of a socializer," Lupin replied, turning his attention back to a nearby monitor. "I prefer to keep a low profile these days. People tend to be nosy, like that reporter, and I don't like answering questions."

"I see." Severus was unaccountably disappointed, and he frowned briefly. "Well, I was thinking of going, so you wouldn't have to deal with reporters. I could probably misbehave enough to keep their attention off of you so that you could eat in peace."

"I don't doubt that," Lupin said dryly. He regarded Severus quizzically, his head cocked. "Is this some odd desire on your part to see me well-fed, or do you want me to go to the banquet for some reason?"

The frown became a scowl, but then Severus took a deep breath, turning to look at Lupin with a raised brow. "I usually don't bother with the social trappings of the profession, but I thought I might go to this one to show Malfoy he hasn't gotten to me. I thought perhaps you might like to accompany me, but it is, of course, your choice."

"I think it's a good idea for you to go," Lupin said slowly. "It might give you a psychological advantage over Malfoy. I suppose it would help if we presented a united team front as well."

Severus' eyes widened. He was surprised Lupin seemed on the verge of agreeing to accompany him, and one corner of his mouth twitched in something that he acknowledged was a smile of pleasure. "I do believe it would send a message, yes," he agreed gravely. "Appearances matter, or at least they do in this instance. I won't twist your arm, though - if the thought of spending an evening in my company isn't appealing, I've no desire to make you suffer."

"I thought it would be the other way around, actually." Lupin fixed him with a long, level look. "I have no desire to make you suffer by making you endure my company during your off-time since I irritate you so much."

Severus raised his chin, stung by the accusation when he'd been _trying_ to be less snappish and had thought he'd been succeeding admirably. Why in the hell did he care, anyway? Lupin obviously didn't appreciate his efforts, or even notice them. "I wouldn't have asked if I would be making myself suffer. I'm no masochist," he replied, keeping his tone as level as he could. "Forget I said anything, since it's more than obvious you've no wish to accompany me. Good evening." With that he turned and headed toward the exit. Damn Lupin, and damn himself, for that matter. He shouldn't give a damn what Lupin thought, anyway - as soon as this mission was over he'd never see the man again.

"Severus, wait!" Lupin called out, but Severus didn't stop, and he heard rapid footsteps behind him as Lupin hurried to catch up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start an argument or to insult you." Lupin drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'd like to go to the banquet."

Finally Severus stopped, turning to face Lupin. He shouldn't let Lupin get to him this way, and his first instinct was to snap and snark, just because he did feel insulted and he didn't know why he was going to such efforts just to make Lupin like him. But he held his tongue, nodding slowly. "All right," he said. "I'm going back to the hotel to change. It's better to be fashionably late - even better if we can arrive just after Malfoy does."

A slight smile touched Lupin's lips. "That would annoy him to no end, I'm sure, so I'm all for it. I need to clean up and change too, so..." He shifted his weight awkwardly between one foot and another, and Severus thought he saw a flash of uncertainty in Lupin's golden eyes. "Do you want to meet at the banquet hall or...?"

Severus drew in a breath, not feeling entirely certain himself. "Why don't we go together?" he asked, taking a plunge into unknown waters. "I'll knock on your door when I'm ready, and we can take the limo. We might as well - Black is paying enough to have it at our disposal. Why not be as ostentatious as possible while we have the opportunity?"

"Okay." Lupin nodded, appearing more somber than calm. "I'll see you later, then."

Severus nodded, then turned and started away again, not looking back to see if Lupin was watching him. No one had ever gotten under his skin the way Lupin did, and he'd never held back his temper with anyone the way he did with Lupin. It had to be because Lupin hadn't judged him, he told himself firmly. Any other explanation didn't bear thinking about.


	4. Chapter 4

Severus continued not to think about Lupin all the way back to the hotel, then through his shower and while he stood in front of his closet, contemplating what to wear. He normally didn't pay to much attention to his clothing, not caring what anyone thought of how he looked, but he was suddenly more conscious of the image he was presenting. Rifling through the rows of shipsuits and jumpsuits and casual clothing, he came across a formal tuxedo. He vaguely remembered purchasing it for his very first victory banquet and had not worn it since. Fortunately men's clothing didn't change style very often, and he nodded as he pulled it out of the closet. It would have to do.

Just after eight o'clock - thirty minutes after the banquet had started - Severus left his room and knocked on Lupin's door, suppressing the urge to fidget. He'd tied his hair back and it left him feeling rather vulnerable, but it was too late to change it now.

Lupin didn't make him wait long, and when Lupin opened the door, Severus saw he was wearing a tuxedo as well. "I'm ready," he said, stepping out of his room and into the hallway. He paused and looked Severus up and down. "You look nice," he added, sounding a bit hesitant, as if he wasn't sure whether his remark would be accepted.

But if Lupin was hesitant, Severus himself was speechless. He hadn't been prepared for the sight of Lupin in the formal clothing, the way the trousers emphasized his lean hips and the jacket set off the breadth of his shoulders. The dark fabric made Lupin's hair gleam, and Severus felt a surge of desire stronger than any he'd felt in a very, very long time. Perhaps ever.

"Thank you. So do you," he managed to say, his voice low and husky. He was in danger of standing there gawking like a hormonal adolescent, and so he made a gargantuan effort and turned, finding his voice returning when he was no longer salivating over Lupin's body. "Shall we go? We should manage to arrive after Lucius. Hopefully it will annoy him into speechlessness."

"With any luck, it will," Lupin replied as he followed Severus down the hall. "He has some payback due for the stunt he tried to pull with you. He's sunk to new depths even for him, and it just goes to show how desperate he is."

"Indeed." Severus frowned thoughtfully, almost glad to have Malfoy as a subject of discussion to distract him from his thoughts of wanting to haul Lupin back to his room and rip his tuxedo off. "It must have been desperation for him to show his hand like that. He can't know about... us, and what we know. If he did, I doubt he would have been so foolish as to give us such a blatant display of how he had to have come into his knowledge."

"No, I don't believe he was fishing for information," Lupin replied. "I think he simply wanted to rattle you by any means possible. If he had suspected anything about either of us, I doubt he would have used that particular tactic against you. Malfoy is arrogant, but he isn't stupid."

They made their way to the lifts, and Severus fell silent, the presence of other passengers ending the discussion for the moment, but he continued to muse about Malfoy. When they entered the limo, Severus turned to Lupin again. "It's too bad we can't get Malfoy to spill what else he knows," he said, shaking his head with regret. "It has to be more than he's said. If he knows about... me... then he must know much more. But as you said, he's not stupid, and even asking question would rouse his suspicions."

"Yes, and we don't need to give him any reason to suspect we know anything," Lupin said, settling against the plush upholstery on his side of the limo seat. "He doesn't need to know he tipped his hand to us, and we don't need to tip our hand to him so he can go running back to GenDyne to warn them. I'd like to find out what he knows, but that's a huge risk to take."

Severus drummed his fingers on the seat, wracking his brain for a way to get Malfoy to talk without tipping their hand. "Perhaps he'll let something slip, since I obviously recovered from his previous attempt," he said slowly, giving Remus a sidelong glance. "If I project complete confidence he'll almost have to try something to rattle me again. Perhaps when he does I'll fire back to see if I can get him worked up instead. Or you can - he definitely wouldn't expect it to come from you."

"It might be best," Lupin replied. He hesitated, and then he added in a cautious tone, "No offense, but I have a less volatile temper."

A snort escaped Severus. "And a gift for understatement," he replied, genuinely amused. Then he sobered. "I've had to keep people at arms length, for reasons with which you are familiar. I've found that people tend to leave me alone if I make it obvious I don't care for them. For most people, I truly don't, so it hasn't disturbed me terribly much." He didn't add that his guilt over what had happened during the war didn't leave him feeling terribly entitled to friendship. It was easier to push people away before they could reject him first.

"I see." Lupin regarded him somberly, and he could see flashes of something in Lupin's eyes, as if he was waging an internal struggle. At last Lupin pushed his fingers through his hair and quietly exhalted. "I don't like feeling as if I'm walking on eggshells all the time, and while I realize I'm running the risk of angering you again by asking this, but... where do I fit in? You've accused me of being noble and boring and dismissed me when I said I wanted to handle our problems like adults. You've shouted at me and tried to use me as a whipping boy, and then you said you think I'm attractive in one breath and that I drive you insane in the next. Today, you seemed to get upset because I hesitated about attending the banquet with you. Like me or hate me as you will, but _tell_ me where I stand. All I ask is some consistency."

Severus' automatic defenses kicked in, and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying something snappish and sarcastic. He looked down at his hands, wondering if he dared to tell Lupin the truth; would Lupin laugh at him, or worse, be patronizing? Perhaps it would be better to just refuse to answer and keep himself safe from either ridicule or pity. 

But Lupin had seen the worst of Severus, knew his darkest secret, and he hadn't condemned Severus or turned away. Perhaps he could be trusted, after all.

Drawing in a deep breath, Severus shrugged slightly. "At first, you did annoy me," he said. "You and your calmness, the way everything seems to roll off your back, not affecting you. I began to wonder if it was some act you put on specifically to irritate me, and I poked at you to try to get you to drop it, to react to me as everyone else reacts. But you didn't. It's just... you. Then I found it... interesting. That you could have suffered so much and not want to lash out is something I couldn't understand. You do drive me insane, sometimes, because I'm not used to people I can't understand, particularly if I find them attractive." He dared to look at Lupin at that point. "You can't be so modest as to deny your own attractiveness, can you? I may be a snarky bastard, but I'm not blind."

Lupin rubbed the back of his neck, a faint flush rising in his face. "It's not something I think much about," he admitted. "It's difficult to have much of a social life with my condition, and I have to keep the fact that I have the sockets confidential, which narrows the field considerably on top of that. It's been easier to focus on work and accept the fact that the closest relationship in my life is likely to be the one I have with LILI."

Severus snorted again. "And you accuse me of pushing people away? You do the same thing, just with calm politeness," he said. It was a relief that Lupin hadn't made him feel uncomfortable over his admissions, and he relaxed fractionally. "We're both hiding pain and hiding secrets, we simply express it in different ways." He shrugged. "Not that I have any secrets from you, not any longer. I should be furious about that, but oddly enough, I'm not."

"The difference between you and me is that if my secret gets out, it could tip the balance where a psychotic dictator bent on dominating as many worlds as he can is concerned," Lupin replied. "I have things beyond myself to consider, and I take that responsibility seriously. Anyway..." He inclined his head slightly. "At least that ought to give you some reassurance that your secret is safe with me. I'm not going to tell anyone what you told me, and I won't use it against you. You have my word on that, if only because I'd rather you weren't furious with me. Again."

"All right." Severus believed Lupin's promise, but he did take exception to one thing. Lifting his arms, he bared his own sockets. "Don't forget that you're not alone in your secret, not any longer, and I am here trying to do everything I can to see that the same psychotic dictator is foiled." He tilted his chin up. "I won't say I will never be angry with you ever again, but I don't doubt your word. I won't poke at you any longer, either. Believe it or not I can be an adult, when I choose to be."

"I appreciate it." Lupin glanced sidelong at him before adding, "I would promise not to be calm at you, but I'm afraid I can't do much about that."

Severus rolled his eyes at that. "I'd probably collapse in shock, which would screw the mission and you'd have to explain to Black why I couldn't follow through."

"I'd hate to be responsible for our entire mission failing," Lupin said dryly. He fell silent for a moment, giving Severus a long, measuring look. "So we have established that you don't understand me any more than I understand you, but you find me attractive nonetheless. What now?"

It hadn't escaped Severus' notice that Lupin hadn't mentioned finding him attractive, and so he shrugged, resigning himself to the feeling not being mutual. It didn't matter, after all; it was probably safer for them both to keep their relationship purely professional. "Now we have a mission to complete," he said evenly, turning to look out the window. "Don't worry, Lupin, I'm not going to ravish you. I'm hardly a sex crazed maniac or so desperate that I will make a nuisance of myself. Forget I mentioned it; it's hardly relevant to what we're supposed to do."

Lupin sighed quietly and rubbed his forehead. "I think I've figured something out: every time you tell me to forget something, it means we've hit another misunderstanding. The thing is, I don't necessarily want to forget it. I just want to know what you really want from me." He paused, and then added, "Or with me."

Severus looked back at Lupin, feeling frustrated again. "How can I know what I want when I have no idea if you even lean toward men?" he asked. "You seem to think you're an open book, when in truth I have no more idea about what you really feel about anything than I would a Mecha. I've had no indication from you that you find _me_ anything except a cranky thorn in your side that you feel you have to handle with kid gloves."

"Considering the way you've treated me since we met, you haven't given me a good reason to _give_ you any indication I find you anything but a cranky thorn in my side that I feel like I have to handle with kid gloves," Lupin retorted, a hint of tartness in his voice. He seemed to relent then, and inclined his head in acknowledgment of Severus' point.

"I'm not straight," he said. "In the interest of fairness, I'll even admit that I thought you were attractive, and I admired you not only for agreeing to Regulus' plan, even though you knew the risks, but also because I've followed your career, and I admire your piloting skills. After that touch..." He trailed off and shrugged awkwardly. "Anyway, I tried to be supportive and encouraging while you adjusted to your sockets and to Wolf, and I tried to show you I'd be loyal, especially when that reporter came nosing around. I even tried to flirt a little in my own closed-book way, but you just kept shooting me down, and then..." He gazed at Severus somberly. "Then I became disappointed in you, and I decided to do my job and not bother trying to connect with you anymore," he said softly.

With a quiet "hmphf," Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. It seemed that they had spent the last several months misunderstanding each other, and he sighed before looking at Lupin again. "It seems neither of us knew quite how to deal with the other." He paused. 

"I am not an easy man, I admit, but life has taught me to strike first or else end up as one of the victims. I regret that I was harder on you than you deserved. I'm not exactly the king of social skills, but... I'm sorry." The words were gruff, and Severus dropped his eyes. Apologies didn't come easily to him, and he'd probably kick himself later for this one, but at least Lupin couldn't say he wasn't trying.

There was a long silence, long enough that Severus began to regret his words already, but then Lupin rested his hand lightly on Severus' arm. "Thank you," Lupin said quietly. "I know it probably wasn't easy for you to say that, and I want you to know I appreciate it." He paused, and when he spoke again, he sounded uncertain. "Maybe we could start over? Or at least put all these misunderstandings behind us? I don't want to be at odds with you, especially since we'll be working closely together for a while longer."

Severus looked at Lupin's hand resting against the sleeve of his tuxedo, realizing with a start that this was probably the first time since the handshake when they'd first met that Lupin had touched him for a reason not strictly necessary. Their skin wasn't touching, but Severus still felt a tingle up his arm, no doubt a product of his imagination.

"I'd like that," he said quietly, then looked up at Lupin, hoping that he wasn't making a fool of himself. "Starting over. Perhaps understanding that I don't understand you will help me be a bit less insufferable."

"You aren't insufferable," Lupin replied, giving Severus' arm a little pat before removing his hand. "I can handle your temper and all the shouting. What I don't like is being dismissed unfairly. Maybe I _am_ boring to someone like you, but just because I won't sell you out to some nosy reporter doesn't mean I'm nothing but a bland goody-two-shoes. I'm a simple man at heart, though. I don't like drama or conflict, and I think anger is a waste of time and energy. I'm conscientious, I'm good at my job, I'm loyal to those I feel deserve it, and I love mechas and everything about them." He shrugged and spread his hands. "Once you understand that, you understand me."

Severus was skeptical that Lupin could be as simple as all that; there were depths to the man that perhaps even he didn't suspect, or perhaps was even denying. But he wasn't about to argue the point, not when he'd just agreed to start over. 

Fortunately, he was saved from having to answer by their arrival at the banquet venue, a huge, gaudily lit glass dome that showcased the planet's lush summer vegetation. He exited the limo, then waited for Lupin to step out, ignoring the shouts of the newsies and the consistent clicking of cameras. Severus had hoped that the reporters would have given up waiting for late arrivals by now, but apparently no such luck.

"Mr. Snape!" One reporter shouted over the others as he craned across the velvet ropes keeping the paparazzi and other gawkers away from the entrance. "How do you feel about battling Lucius Malfoy tomorrow? Are you concerned about your early loss, or was that merely a ploy to allow you to dominate the loser's bracket?"

Severus scowled and ignored the question, but the newsie wasn't daunted, turning his attention to Lupin instead. "Mr. Lupin! Is it true that Black Star brought you out of retirement to keep The Snake in line? Was Black Star really going to fire him if he didn't accept you as his mechanic?"

Lupin smiled easily at the reporter. "There's no truth to that rumor," he replied with his usual air of pleasant calm. "Black Star knows it has a good thing going with Severus Snape, and to fire a champion like him would be a foolish move. Black Star recognizes and appreciates true talent."

Giving Lupin a sidelong glance and a nod of appreciation, Severus waved off any more questions and strode toward the doors of the banquet hall. "Where in hell do they come up with these wild notions?" Severus asked, clenching his jaw briefly. Then he took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. "You handle them better than I ever could. Half the time I want to beat some of them to death with their recorders."

Lupin glanced at him, seeming both surprised and pleased by the compliment. "They're just doing their job, and scandal sells. People aren't interested in hearing about nice people getting along well." He smiled wryly. "Maybe I _am_ as boring as you said. The press never dredged up any gossip about me when I was competing. The most interesting thing about my career was my abrupt departure, and even now, they only want to know if I'm your guard dog or if we're at each other's throats."

"Hmpf." Severus sniffed haughtily, but he was gratified that Lupin seemed happy about something he'd said for once. "Damned nosey bastards," he muttered. "Good thing they're more nosey than good at their jobs, or we'd probably not be having this conversation. So long as you're content with your life, I suppose it doesn't matter what they think. Or even what I think. There are times, brief and infrequent though they might be, that I've wondered if I might be happier if my own life was more ordinary."

"You might," Lupin mused. "Then again, you might be bored silly. For better or worse, your life has shaped you into the man you are now. If there are things you don't like about who you've become, it's up to you to change them."

"You're right, I'd probably be bored silly," Severus replied, his lips twitching. "So, shall we go in? I want to see the look on Malfoy's face when we come in."

The doorman waved them through before Severus even needed to produce their passes, and he strode briskly through the foyer. There were a few people wandering around the open area, but through an enormous set of double doors he could see the main hall and the hundreds of tables inside. "We're at the main table, of course," he told Lupin. "Time for the show to go on."

Donning a smug smile, his head tilted at an arrogant angle, Severus waited for Lupin, then began to walk slowly into the room. Lupin kept pace beside him and smiled at people he knew as they passed by, looking for all the world as if he were perfectly at ease despite the numerous stares aimed in their direction.

Severus could see Malfoy already at the head table, his bleached blond hair shining under the lights. It was impossible to read his expression at this distance, but Severus could tell the moment Malfoy spotted him, for the man's head whipped toward them and his body suddenly straightened. It was easy to imagine the look of shock on his face, although by the time he and Lupin crossed the room, Malfoy's expression had settled into snarling disdain.

"Someone isn't very happy to see us," Severus said quietly to Lupin. "I just hope the organizers had more brains than to put us right next to each other."

"Surely not." Lupin chuckled wryly. "Unless they want to give those reporters plenty of fresh fodder."

"Scandal sells," Severus replied, his eyes gleaming with amusement for a moment as he threw Lupin's words back at him. Then he sobered. "I might prefer to endure a pounding by a mech without my own armor rather than go through this, but appearances matter. It might be best if you're between Malfoy and me, though - that way you can kick me under the table if I get too vocal."

"I get to kick you under the table?" Lupin gave him an ingenuous look. "The evening is looking up already."

Severus wasn't fooled, and he gave Lupin a heated glance as he mounted the dais and approached the table. Two could play at that game, after all, and if Lupin really did find him attractive, perhaps it was time to see if he could get under Lupin's skin the same way Lupin had gotten under his.

Their arrival hadn't gone unnoticed, of course, and the silence relative quiet of the hall was suddenly buzzing with voices as people saw him slide into a seat near one end of the head table, ignoring the little seating cards in the interest of making certain he was away from Malfoy. He didn't care about the talk - people _always_ talked, after all - but he did care about what Malfoy thought, and so he turned his head to give his rival an intense glare, making certain Malfoy knew he wasn't about to be intimidated.

Lupin sat down beside him, seeming to ignore the stares and the buzz of conversation, and he deliberately flicked his gaze over Malfoy and away again in a dismissive glance that casually implied Malfoy wasn't worth noting with so much as a lingering glance.

The waiter assigned to them approached, filling their water glasses silently before stepping back and asking if they would prefer the beef or the fish before melting away once more. Severus continued to stare at Malfoy, wanting to see if he could do a little intimidation of his own. He had the satisfaction of watching Malfoy look away first, and he smirked as Malfoy reached for his water glass.

"Bastard," he muttered, low enough that only Lupin could hear. "I hope I kill him tomorrow."

But surprisingly, he didn't receive a kick under the table for his vitriol; instead, Lupin was staring, wide-eyed, at Malfoy, and Severus heard him suck in a sharp breath.

"He has sockets," Lupin murmured, tearing his gaze away from Malfoy quickly and leaning closer to Severus. "I just saw them on his wrist."

"What?" Severus gave Lupin a look of disbelief before his eyes slid past Lupin toward Malfoy. Then he pulled his gaze away, looking back at Lupin before Malfoy could notice. "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised, but I am. I'd never have thought he'd let himself be used as an experiment."

"What worries me is that he isn't an experiment," Lupin said, his brow furrowed. "I can't imagine Malfoy taking that much of a risk either; he values his precious hide too much. But if GenDyne has moved beyond the experimental stage and begun creating its army..." He shuddered, the color draining from his face. "I think our mission has just become even more important and more dangerous."

"Damn." Severus' jaw clenched so hard it popped painfully, and he was ready to snarl in frustration. "We have to find out what he knows! Black's spies didn't indicate it had gone this far, and we could be walking into a trap. But how? If I thought it would work I'd knock him unconscious and drag him out by his bleached hair."

Lupin fell silent, seeming lost in thought for a few moments, and then he glanced sidelong at Severus, his expression speculative. "I have an idea, if you're serious. It isn't without risk, but it might get us the information we need."

"Oh?" Severus lifted a brow, curious as to what Lupin could come up with. "I am serious, but if you really do come up with something you'll force me to reevaluate how boring your life is. Is it worth that risk?"

Lupin smiled placidly. "That's for you to decide, if realizing I'm not as boring as you thought is worth the shock to your system." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial, showing it to Severus under the table. "My meds," he murmured. "If we can find a way to slip him just half a dose, it'll get him high as a kite, and best of all, he won't remember a thing tomorrow."

Severus sucked in a breath. Surprise was a mild word for what he felt about Lupin's suggestion, but he also was suddenly elated. They _could_ do this, and Malfoy wouldn't know a thing! "You're brilliant," he murmured, looking at Lupin, his eyes glittering. "I'll have to reward you later. For now... you came up with the idea, and I'll carry it out. Give me the right dose - I have an idea."

When Lupin passed him the small pill, Severus took his glass of water from the table and dropped the pill into it. It dissolved, leaving no trace of its presence. 

"There," he said, giving a nod of satisfaction. "Now we'll see if I can rattle him even more."

"Go for it," Lupin replied with an approving note in his voice. "I won't even kick you under the table."

With a snort of amusement Severus stood, taking the water glass with him. He crossed behind Malfoy, who was studiously ignoring him, then suddenly leaned over Malfoy's shoulder, placing his hand with the water glass next to Malfoy's. "Are you ready for tomorrow, Lucius?" he purred close to Lucius' ear, and Lucius went rigid with shock. "As you can see, I'm not so easily defeated as you might have liked."

"Get away from me, Snape." Malfoy's voice was a low hiss of anger, but Severus only smiled. 

"Gladly, Lucius... gladly. Until tomorrow. Then... well, then we'll see how close we can dance." 

Severus felt Lucius shiver, and he chuckled, pulling back and stepping away. He turned and headed back toward Lupin, sliding into his seat and placing the water glass he held on the table in front of him - the water glass that was really Lucius'.

"Is he drinking it?" he asked, leaning back in his seat as though totally unaffected. Hopefully his own composure would rattle Lucius even more.

Lupin cut his eyes at Malfoy, covering his covert glance by picking up his own water glass and taking a sip. "Yes," he murmured. "He's taken the bait. He looks rattled, actually." He looked at Severus curiously. "What did you say to him?"

"I told him we'd dance tomorrow," Severus said, his lips twitching. "I can only suspect that he's afraid I'll want to lead. Hmm... how long will this take? I'm just glad Narcissa isn't here. You'll have to 'help' him when he starts being affected."

"It's a powerful medication," Lupin replied. "Even with a smaller dose, it shouldn't take long to kick in. He'll be showing signs within a few minutes."

"Let's hope." Severus looked around the room, seeing who was paying attention to them. His encounter with Malfoy had been noticed, of course, and he probably needed to offer a distraction so that Lupin could get away with Malfoy. He considered his options (sounding a fire alarm was probably a bit too dangerous), sighing as he realized he was going to have to do something more direct and personal.

"Call the limo - tell it to meet you around in back," he said, rising to his feet. "I need to create a diversion so that no one is terribly interested in you taking Lucius out of the building. Wait for me - I'll follow as quickly as I can."

"Right. I'm on it." Lupin nodded and half-turned in his chair to block his actions from view while he contacted the driver.

Meanwhile, Severus rose to his feet. He was going to do something he normally loathed to do outside of an arena, namely draw attention to himself. Unfortunately he couldn't thing of any other way to distract everyone sufficiently to allow Lupin time to get Malfoy out. He glanced around at the other tables on the dais, and spotted a young woman, decent enough looking and apparently, from what he could tell, unaccompanied as she was between two other women at the table; perfect, since he wanted to cause a sensation but not have a scene with a jealous lover or husband. He stared at hard at her until she seemed to notice him, then began to prowl across the stage toward her. He saw her eyes widen in surprise, possibly tinged with fear, but he didn't let that deter him. He took his time, giving the limo plenty of opportunity to get to where it needed to be, certain that any driver employed by Black Star would be efficient or would be fired.

"Excuse me, miss, but you are by far the most beautiful woman in the place," he purred, reaching down and taking her hand. She looked at him with wide blue eyes, rising as though mesmerized as he tugged her hand to urge her to her feet. A quick glance around the immediate area assured him that almost everyone's eyes were on him, which wasn't surprising, as often as his personal life had been speculated about and as tight-lipped as he was on the subject. 

"Thank you," she replied, as though in a daze. 

"What's your name?" he asked, squeezing her hand. He wasn't a complete stranger to flirtation, even if it had been a very long time since he'd done any, and never before with a woman. But it seemed that what was effective on men was just as good on women, for she giggled lightly.

"Alice," she replied. "And I know who you are, of course. Wow, I never thought The Snake would ever notice someone like me!"

Severus smiled, then suddenly dipped her back over his arm and kissed her on the lips, hearing the gasps of shock all around. He had no doubt that there would be a thousand pictures of the incident floating on the news nets the next day, but that was the price he'd have to pay. Hopefully the young woman would find the notoriety a sufficient reward her role in his deception - if not, he'd make sure Regulus Black sent the poor woman proper restitution. 

After several long moments - enough, hopefully, for Lupin to have grabbed Malfoy and made an unnoticed departure - Severus righted the woman, who was staring at him with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, obviously not displeased by the attention. He was thankful for that, even though he couldn't help the stray thought that Lupin would look even more attractive that this girl if his lips were similarly rosy from being kissed. A swift glance over his shoulder assured him that Lupin and Malfoy were indeed gone, and so Severus gave the young woman a formal bow, kissing her hand in what he hoped was a gallant gesture. 

"I do hope you have a most pleasant evening, and thank you for your tolerance," he said, releasing her hand and taking a step back.

"But..." she said, obviously confused, but he smiled and shook his head.

"If I win tomorrow, I will count it as you having brought me good luck," Severus said, then turned and made a swift departure toward the back of the stage, slipping into an opening between the curtains. He could hear the din of voices behind him, but he didn't stop, almost running as he made his way down a set of stairs toward the route marked "EXIT". 

As in most public buildings, the doors leading out had to be left unlocked in case of an emergency, and Severus was soon stepping out into the evening air, looking around until he spotted the limo parked a short distance away. He hurried toward it, opening the door and slipping inside. 

"Drive around - and don't stop for any reason," Severus ordered the driver tersely. Malfoy was slumped back against the seat, looked confused, and Severus smirked. "Nice work. Now we just have to get him to talk."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Lupin replied, a conspiratorial tilt to his lips. "Mr. Malfoy is feeling nice and relaxed. Aren't you?" He patted Malfoy's leg and earned a beatific smile in response as Malfoy tried and failed to focus.

"Hmmm..." Severus regarded Malfoy with narrowed eyes, wondering how to start now that they had Lucius at their mercy. They couldn't hold him indefinitely, unfortunately, because his absence would eventually be missed. "How long do we have? It would probably be best not to keep him drugged for too long, so that people don't get suspicious."

"It'll wear off by morning," Lupin said. "Once we're finished questioning him, we can easily make it appear he had too much to drink at the banquet and send him on his way. It's potent medication, though, so even with only half a dose, it won't wear off quickly. Take your time, if you like."

Severus nodded, pleased that it appeared things might finally be going their way. "Malfoy," he said, and Lucius turned his head toward the sound of Severus' voice, obviously not really able see Severus clearly. "Is Voldemort still alive?"

Malfoy frowned at that, then gave a shrug. "How'm I s'posed to know? Take my orders from Bellatrix. Don't know where she gets hers from."

"But Bellatrix is there, at GenDyne, telling people what to do?" Severus asked, leaning forward and watching Malfoy intently.

"Yes. Since she escaped. She and Rudolphus and Rabastan... whole sodding clan." A petulant frown twisted Lucius' lips. "Tryin' to move up. I'm more than jus' a pilot! Want Narcissa t'be proud."

"Indeed," Severus said, glancing at Lupin. "Well, that clears up one point, confirming where the escapees are, but if he doesn't know about Voldemort then we can't answer the question Black most wants to know."

"It does help, though, knowing Bellatrix seems to be taking orders from someone higher up," Lupin pointed out. "That makes a strong case for Voldemort still being alive and well. I think Regulus would be interested in knowing about the sockets, at least."

"Interested, yes... and probably disturbed," Severus said, then looked at Malfoy again. "All right, Lucius, we see you have sockets. Neural implants, right? How many people at GenDyne have them?"

Lucius had lapsed into a sort of blankness but at the question he roused, frowning as though he were considering the question. "Don't know, exactly. At least a hundred, maybe a few more."

"A hundred!" Severus was shocked, and he looked at Lupin, eyes wide. "Shit. A hundred... against two?"

"That's impossible!" Lupin shook his head, his own eyes as wide as saucers. "The wizard gene is extremely rare. There's no way GenDyne could have found a hundred people who have it so quickly!"

Lucius turned his head toward Lupin. "Not all have the gene... some experiments failed. Others didn't adapt fully. And others... overloaded. Only five made full adaptation."

"Five... out of over a hundred..." Lupin's face turned ashen, and he rubbed his wrists absently as he turned to Severus, horror clear to read in his eyes. "Do you realize what this means? They've been killing innocent people, or worse, driving them mad. Overloading...

"That's what happened to me. If I hadn't been treated quickly, I could have gone insane. Oh, God, those poor people..."

It was all Severus could do not to wring Malfoy's neck. They might not have first hand knowledge that Voldemort was alive, but hearing about the experimentation made him certain of it. No one else could be so despicable. No one else could pull Bellatrix Lestrange's strings. 

"We'll do what we can about it," he promised, reaching out to lay a hand on Remus' arm. "I promise, we'll do whatever we can." He turned to Lucius again. "What is GenDyne doing with the people who didn't adapt?"

Lucius shrugged negligently. "Experiments. Learning what to do in the future from what went wrong. It's all for the cause."

Lupin rounded on Malfoy, pale and shaking, and he clenched his fists as if he too were holding himself back from striking Malfoy. "You're playing with people's minds! Their lives! No cause is worth that!"

Severus had never seen Lupin so upset, and he was surprised at his instinct to offer comfort. He tightened his hand on Lupin's arm. "No, it's not worth it, and it just goes to show that they're as evil as they were a decade ago. , and we have to stop them." His voice was firm, but soothing. "Don't worry, we'll deal with it, when the time comes. And with Lucius himself. We won't let this go unavenged, I swear it. Are you all right with that? I can understand you wanting to lash out at Malfoy now, but he's just a tool. We have to strike at the heart."

Lupin inhaled deeply and released his breath slowly as if trying to calm and center himself again, and after a moment, he nodded. "You're right. Malfoy isn't worth the time or trouble. But those people..." He turned to Severus, his eyes haunted. "We have to stop Voldemort quickly before he murders again in the name of 'the cause'."

"I agree," Severus replied, unsettled by the pain in Lupin's eyes. He drew in a deep breath, then squeezed Lupin's arm again before releasing it. "Malfoy, how many of the advanced mechas does GenDyne have now? How many are they planning? And when are they planning to attack?"

Lucius snorted. "Five pilots, five mechas," he said, as though it should be obvious. "Takes as long to build one as to find a pilot. Bella wants more, though. Don't know when we'll strike, but soon. Maybe when we have five more pilots. A whole squadron."

"That makes sense," Severus said, thinking back over his time in the Borealis military. "They have no reason to feel time pressure, since they don't know about us." Something suddenly occurred to him, and he sat up straight. "Tell me, Lucius, do you have your mecha with you? Not your competition one, the advanced one."

"No, it's on Borealis... no need to bring it. Too risky," Malfoy frowned and shook his head, then a dreamy expression crossed his face. "My mecha. My perfect Draco... Wish I could use him in competition. I'd kick your ass, Snape!"

"You couldn't kick Severus' ass if you were half-mecha yourself, Malfoy," Lupin growled. Although he seemed calmer, there was a hard set to his mouth that was uncharacteristic, letting Severus know he hadn't regained his usual equanimity yet. Lupin breathed deeply again and squared his shoulders. "So Voldemort isn't taking any chances on letting his special mechas go off-world. He's playing it safe, that's for sure."

Severus was pleased by Lupin's defense of his abilities, but he was more relieved to see that Lupin was relaxing, even if only slightly. He wouldn't be surprised if Lupin was one of the quiet ones who was calm and rational until he finally went over the edge and did something incredibly violent. Not that he would blame Lupin in the slightest, but at the moment they needed Malfoy. "Unfortunately, yes, it appears he's evil and paranoid, damn it. This could have been over with very easily if Lucius just had his damned mecha hovering in orbit somewhere." 

Raking a hand through his hair, dislodging the hair tie he'd forgotten he had, Severus bit his lip, wondering what information Lucius could give them that would be of use. "All right, Malfoy... where in GenDyne are the advanced mechas kept? Where are the people who didn't adapt? I want it all - passwords, security features, the names of the guards... hell, give me the color of Bellatrix' underpants if you think it might be useful information." He looked at Lupin. "Let's get this bit recorded... we're definitely going to need it."

"Right." Lupin nodded grimly and pulled a compact recording device from his pocket, activating it with a flick of his thumb. "Ready when you are."

Lucius began to talk, spilling all the information Severus requested and elaborating when further questions were asked. Soon they had a verbal description of GenDyne's entire facility and all the security protocols of which Lucius was aware, which Severus didn't doubt wasn't all of them by a long shot. He also asked Malfoy to provide as accurate a description as he could of the advanced mechas, his interface, and the names and origins of all four of the other pilots and as many of the "unsuccessful" adaptations as he knew. It was a lot of information, enough that Severus was certain Black's intelligence goons would have a field day with it, but there were also key things missing, no doubt because Lucius' off-planet activities made him a security risk. 

Fortunately for them, Voldemort's concerns were justified.

"Can you think of anything else?" Severus asked, turning to Lupin at last. "Are we forgetting something important? This is our only chance, and I don't want to let him ago until we're certain he's told us everything he knows."

Lupin frowned pensively, and then he shook his head. "No, I don't think we've overlooked anything. If we have, I can't think of it at the moment either," he said, rubbing his forehead wearily.

"All right." Severus sighed, feeling as exhausted as Lupin looked. Then his eyes narrowed. "You've taken your own medication, I trust?"

Lupin gave him a look. "If I hadn't, I'd be curled up in the fetal position and screaming mindlessly right now. Believe me, I don't forget to take it."

"Just making certain," Severus said, giving a slight shrug. "Heat of the moment, and all that. So... shall we return our little stool pigeon to his hotel? Lucky him that we can't beat the pure living shit out of him before letting him go. Even an idiot of his magnitude would notice the contusions." He turned, rapping on the lexan that separated them from the driver. "Take us to a block from the Hilton. Find a dark alley and cut the lights." He looked at Lupin. "So now we have to smuggle him into his hotel, without being seen. No one is going to believe we've been out drinking like old buddies. Suggestions?"

"I'll handle it," Lupin replied tersely. "It'll be more plausible for me to be seen with him than you. If there's trouble, well, Black Star isn't without resources, and I'm more expendable than you are." He glanced at Malfoy with obvious dislike. "I promise I'll behave."

"I know you'll behave." Severus had no doubt about Lupin's sincerity, but he did take exception to part of Lupin's little speech. "But don't say you're more expendable than I am, because it isn't true." He looked away. "I'd have totally screwed this mission without you here. If anything you're better equipped to handle this than I am, because you won't... lose it."

"It just goes to show we make a good team," Lupin said quietly, slanting a small smile at Severus. "I thought we would be in the beginning. We just lost our way for a little while. But when it comes right down to it, I'm not the one who can compete, and that's what will get us to Borealis. You can find another mechanic if necessary." He inclined his head slightly. "But I don't intend for it to be necessary."

"You'd better not, I've only just gotten used to you," Severus replied with a sniff, although the corner of his mouth twitched. "All right, then, take him in, but tell him to go to his room and get back as quickly as possible. I'll wait here with the limo; we'll need to call Black as soon as we get back to our own hotel."

"And call room service," Lupin said as he opened the door and began wrestling Malfoy, who resembled a limp noodle, out of the back seat. "We never actually got any food at the banquet, and I'm starving."

Severus' lip twisted as he helped Lupin get Malfoy out of the limo, not liking having to touch the man any more than Lupin did. "Fine, fine. Black can foot the bill for filet and caviar after this one. We've earned it." He leaned out of the limo door. "Hurry - If you're more than five minutes I'm coming in after you."

"Better give me ten. He's out of it, and he's no light-weight," Lupin replied. He pushed his shoulder under Malfoy's arm, and with a wave to Severus, he half-carried, half-dragged Malfoy into the hotel, greeting the doorman cheerfully as if there was nothing at all unusual about the situation.

Severus nodded to Lupin, then sat back to wait, drumming his fingers impatiently on the seat. He didn't liked the idea of Lupin being the one at risk like this, but there wasn't much help for it. It was simply something that he had to endure, even if it felt like the longest ten minutes of his life.

Fortunately Lupin returned before Severus went completely out of his mind, and he looked at Lupin with a raised brow. "I take it you were successful?" he asked, signalling to the driver to get them the hell out of there.

Lupin settled back against the plush seat, looking grimly satisfied. "Malfoy is tucked into bed, cozy as can be. He'll wake up tomorrow morning with a big empty hole in his memory, none the wiser that we pumped him for information."

"Good, good," Severus said, leaning back with a slight sigh of relief. Then he chuckled. "So... how do we tell Black? Surprise him? Torment him? Ask him for a raise?"

"Be straight with him," Lupin replied. "This is too important, and we don't have time for games." He smiled slightly. "But that doesn't mean he won't be grateful, I'm sure." He fell silent, gazing out the window pensively. "And so am I," he said softly. "I can't stop thinking about those people... The ones who died are the lucky ones. I can't believe they haven't tried to do anything to help the ones who overloaded. Like they were nothing." He glanced at Severus, his expression somber. "It could have been me."

"They are evil, ones to whom human life means nothing," Severus said quietly. "But you knew this already. You know what kind of monsters they are. But it wasn't you, and we're going to do everything we can for the people they've used the discarded. It probably won't be enough, but it's the best we can do. Perhaps Black Star can do something for them. They helped you, after all."

"Only because they found the right drugs before I lost my mind," Lupin replied quietly. "You don't understand how thin the line is. You can't. You saw what half a dose of my meds did to Malfoy. I have to take double what I gave him just to function like a normal human being. I can't imagine being caught in that endless loop of agony. I can't imagine no one at GenDyne doing anything to help."

"Maybe someone has tried, and Lucius doesn't know about it. He obviously doesn't know everything," Severus said, trying to offer what comfort he could. He hesitated, wondering if he were making a gigantic mistake, then steeled himself for rejection before leaning forward slowly, bridging the gap between them and putting a hand on Lupin's knee. "I can tell this is hitting you hard, and I actually can understand why, even if I've never experienced your pain. I know what hell is, I've lived through it, even if I haven't had to face it every day the way you have. What can I do to help?"

Lupin did a double-take, wide-eyed and obviously surprised by the offer, and he studied Severus, saying nothing, for so long that Severus began to think Lupin was trying to find a polite way of telling him to fuck off. But then Lupin began to lean forward, moving slowly as if giving Severus time to realize what he was doing and back away.

"You can help me remember I'm still human and still alive," Lupin murmured, his voice soft and husky, and he closed the distance between them, brushing his lips against Severus' in a light, questioning kiss.

Severus' eyes widened as Lupin leaned toward him, but the contact of their lips, light though it was, went through him like an electrical charge. It wasn't painful, it was stimulating, arousing, and just as powerful as the last time they'd touched. He gazed at Lupin for a moment, then moved one hand, sliding it behind Lupin's neck and pulling him closer, kissing him more firmly. If this is what Lupin - _Remus_ \- needed, Severus was more than happy to oblige, and he nibbled Remus' full lower lip, tasting him. 

"I'll help however you like," he said against Remus' lips. "I want to take away your pain."

Remus smiled and cupped Severus' cheek in his palm. "No one can do that," he murmured, a wistful note in his voice. "But you can help me forget it for a while and let me feel normal."

"I'll do my best." Severus wasn't a romantic man, nor one used to softer emotions, but something about Remus made him feel suddenly protective. The limo slid to a stop, and he pressed his hand against Remus' where it rested on his cheek, every place their skin touched tingling. "Come up to my room, and I'll try everything I can to make it so that you can barely remember your own name."

Remus chuckled quietly and stroked Severus' cheek with his thumb. "That sounds like quite a challenge," he said, but he nodded and climbed out of the limo behind Severus. "Your room, then."

Severus' breathing sped up, and he nodded, hoping he could follow through on his promise. It had been a very long time since he'd been intimate with anyone - since before the war, actually, and even then he'd not had very many lovers. But he wanted this; he wanted Remus, and from things Remus had said it had been a very long time for him, as well.

He moved to Remus' side, then reached out and caught Remus' hand, holding it as they walked into their hotel. He knew Remus still felt a little unsure of him, and he thought, perhaps, an acknowledgment that he wasn't ashamed to have their relationship speculated about might help. "I'm up to the challenge," he murmured, giving Remus a heated look. "I hope you are as well."

"We're about to find out," Remus replied, offering a wry smile. "It's been a while for me, not since I got my sockets."

Severus tightened his grip on Remus' hand as they entered the lift. He could feel the eyes of people on them as they walked, but he didn't care; let them talk, if they wished. Once they were alone, Severus turned, pressing Remus back against the wall of the lift and bending his head to kiss him hard. Then he pulled back, lifting one brow. "It's been longer for me, but I suppose it's like piloting a mecha - you never forget." He ran a finger down Remus' cheek, feeling the tingling as their neural interfaces reacted to each other. "And this will be unique for other reasons."

He heard Remus' breath hitch softly, and he could feel Remus shiver in response to the touch, no doubt reacting to the tingle as well. "There is that," Remus murmured, gazing up at him. "At least the sockets are good for something: I don't need to worry I'll be boring."

With a soft snort, Severus pressed against him, letting Remus feel how affected he was. "You aren't boring... I only said that to get under your skin, but it didn't have the effect I intended. I wanted you to try to prove me wrong, not believe that I actually thought that. If you were truly boring you wouldn't have been driving me mad these last couple of months."

Remus rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, the lift doors opened onto their floor, and he nudged Severus instead. "We're here," he said, inclining his head at the open doors.


	5. Chapter 5

Stepping back, Severus took Remus' hand again, then began to walk quickly down the hall. When they reached his door, Severus pressed his palm to the pad, then pushed the door open and pulled Remus inside. He released Remus' hand, but beckoned him through the sitting area. He paused at the door to his bedroom. "Are you certain you want this? I do, but I don't want you to have regrets."

Remus followed him across the sitting area to the bedroom and returned his somber gaze. "I won't regret it," he said. "Unless you think it will affect our working relationship. There's too much at stake to risk that."

"It won't," Severus said. He was relieved that Remus wasn't having second thoughts, and he smiled slightly as he reached out to slip his hands beneath the fabric of Remus' tuxedo jacket, pushing it off his shoulders. "I've already thought about doing something like this far too often."

Remus glanced at Severus with widened eyes as he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over the back of a nearby chair. "Have you? I never would have guessed it."

Severus pulled off his own jacket, tossing it after Remus', then took both Remus' hands in his. The sensation was no longer startling, but it was no less intense, and his eyes gleamed with heat as he looked Remus over, a leisurely perusal of his body. "Yes," he affirmed, not ashamed to make the admission. "Perhaps I'm as good at hiding my real thoughts as you are, if in a different way. But I'm not hiding it now." He pulled Remus close, sliding his arms around Remus' waist. "I want you." With that he kissed Remus again, sliding his tongue over Remus' lips, asking permission to deepen the kiss.

Wrapping his arms around Severus' shoulders, Remus parted his lips and leaned against Severus, offering silent consent. Severus didn't hesitate to take the offer, slipping his tongue between Remus' lips, exploring in a leisurely fashion, taking his time learning Remus' taste. He could feel urgency building, but he held it at bay, wanting to help Remus forget everything for as long as possible, to drive him slowly out of his mind, the same way Remus had been driving him out of his mind almost since they'd met. Remus tasted warm and sweet and completely delicious, and Severus purred in satisfaction as he moved his hands down to Remus' arse, holding him tightly as he continued with the deep, drugging kisses.

Remus slid his hands up and buried his fingers in Severus' hair as he pressed closer against Severus, yielding to the onslaught of kisses. "I want you, too," he murmured against Severus' lips when they broke apart at last for for air.

Those words, said in Remus' throaty voice, sent a shiver of pure desire down Severus' spine, a sensation as potent as the contact of their skin. With a hungry growl Severus moved his hands to the buttons of Remus' shirt, silently cursing the old fashioned contraptions that fashion seemed to demand as part of male formal wear. At least there were no longer the ridiculous ties men used to put around their necks, and in short order Severus had bared Remus' chest, gazing at the pale skin with the gaze of a starving man. He ran his hands lightly over Remus' body, brushing Remus' nipples with his thumbs, coaxing another shiver from him. "So what is your preference? I'm flexible, so if you feel strongly one way or the other..."

"I tend to be flexible as well," Remus replied with a slight smile and a little shrug. "I don't have a strong preference. What would you like?"

Severus considered that, continuing to caress Remus lightly. He'd gotten off on the wrong foot with Remus, and he knew Remus was still uncertain of him in some ways. "I would like for you to take me," he murmured, brushing his lips against Remus' for a light taste. "Let yourself go, and remember just how alive you are."

"Letting go isn't easy for me, for obvious reasons, but if that's what you want, I'll try," Remus replied, and then he reached out to unfasten the row of buttons on Severus' crisp white shirt as well. "Whatever we do, we need to be more undressed for it."

Putting his hands on top of Remus', Severus looked at him. "What I want is for you to have what you need, Remus. I want this, yes, but tonight is about you, and what you want and need. I can be a bastard, yes, but I also care. About you. If I just wanted sex I could have gotten it from anyone; when I said that I want _you_ , that's precisely what I meant."

Remus glanced up at him, visibly startled. "You... care about me? But...when did that happen? And why me? I didn't think you even liked me all that much."

Snorting, Severus shook his head. "Yes, I do like you, even though you drive me crazy sometimes." He looked away, not entirely comfortable with the personal revelations, but he knew that Remus had been truly shaken and horrified by the things that Malfoy had told them, even more than Severus was himself. Remus was more isolated from others than Severus himself, and perhaps Severus could give him a connection, even if it was only for one night. 

"You're a good person, better than I am. You got involved in a war because of people you care about, and you've stayed to fight, even though it's not your planet, even though you've suffered greatly. That takes courage, and strength. Even I can acknowledge that. And you don't feel sorry for yourself, even though you have enough reason to do so; I'd like you just because you don't whine about your fate, if for no other reason."

Remus chuckled quietly. "I'll make a note to keep not whining," he said, and then his expression grew more serious. "Thank you. I don't think I deserve accolades for doing the right thing or trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation, but I appreciate it nonetheless." He craned up and brushed a light kiss against Severus' lips. "You're a good man, too," he said. "In your own snarky, shouty way."

The compliment pleased Severus more than it should, and he caught Remus close. "Now that we've cleared that up and agreed that we're both very good, why don't we set about being very bad?" he asked, purring the words against Remus' ear even as he moved his hands to the fastenings of Remus' trousers. "You're right, we have on too many clothes. Given how stimulating a mere caress between us feels, I am eagerly looking forward to the experience of touching with our entire bodies."

"No doubt it will be an experience neither of us will soon forget," Remus said, sounding a little breathless as he resumed unfastening Severus' shirt. 

"Indeed." Severus' agile fingers made short work of Remus' trousers and underthings, then he shrugged his own shirt off his shoulders, stealing drugging kisses from Remus' lips as he continued to shed his clothing. Soon they were bare, and he stepped back, looking at Remus with swiftly growing desire. "Gorgeous," he said approvingly, liking the look of Remus' body, firm and masculine, with the taut muscles that mecha pilots developed in the course of their profession. 

A hint of pink stained Remus' cheeks, but he smiled and didn't shy away from Severus' scrutiny, and he looked Severus up and down as well. "I used to wonder what you looked like under those black jumpsuits of yours when I watched you compete," he admitted.

"Oh?" That was a bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one, and Severus lifted a brow, a half smile curving his lips. He wasn't vain about his body, but he wasn't self-conscious about it either. "I do hope that reality meets or exceeds your imaginings."

"As if you need me to bolster your ego!" Remus shook his head, smiling, but then he relented. "The reality is much better than what I imagined," he said. "I can touch, for one thing."

Pleased, Severus took Remus' hands, and backed toward the bed. "I want you to touch, and I want to touch you," he said, anticipation building. He paused at the side of the bed to reach into the drawer of the table beside the bed, removing a container of lubricant and placing it within reach. Then, with a wicked smile, he sat back on the mattress and stretched out on the bed, bending one knee and putting himself on display. "Come join me."

Remus sat down on the edge of the bed, and then he shifted to kneel beside Severus, regarding him questioningly. "What do you like?" he asked. "Is there anything in particular I should or shouldn't do?"

"You can do anything you like - it's been a long time since anyone's touched me, and the way it feels when you touch me is wonderful," Severus replied, reaching out a hand to caress Remus' cheek. "What about you? What do you like? I want you to feel good."

"Considering how our neural interfaces react, I don't think either of us will have to do anything special to make each other feel good," Remus murmured as he trailed his forefinger along Severus' inner arm, making sparks skitter along Severus' nerve endings in response. Shivering slightly at the sensation, Severus gave a low growl and reached up to capture Remus' shoulders, pulling him down.

"Then let's make each other feel good, and we'll both learn along the way," he said, gasping as more of Remus' skin came in contact with his. 

Remus echoed the gasp, and his eyes widened with visible surprise. "Assuming either of us lasts more than five minutes..."

Chuckling, Severus pulled Remus down on top of his body, then moaned and arched up against him to give them as much contact as possible. Everywhere their skin met felt as though it were ablaze, as though they were melting together, stimulated to an almost unbearable degree. Severus couldn't remember having ever been so aroused in his life, and he knew Remus was right, that it probably wouldn't take much for either of them to shatter at this point. "Two minutes," he groaned, running his hands over Remus' back. "It feels so good..."

Sucking in a hissing breath, Remus arched against Severus' hands, his pale skin growing flushed and dappled with sweat, and his golden eyes darkened. "Skip the foreplay, then?" he asked between panting breaths as he slid his body against Severus', although whether he was teasing Severus or seeking more contact for himself was unclear. Whatever his intention, the movement sent waves of pleasure over Severus, his toes curling and his own skin becoming damp and hot.

"This one time, yes," Severus panted. "Between how it feels and how long it's been, I feel like a desperate teenager - and not necessarily in the more desirable way." He slid his hands down again, cupping Remus' arse and squeezing. The one saving grace in this was that Remus seemed as overwhelmed as he did.

Remus chuckled softly as he pulled back enough to snag the bottle of lubricant. "I know the feeling," he said wryly, flipping open the lid. He coated his fingers until they were slick, then knelt between Severus' legs and began to prepare Severus slowly and carefully. "If it's been a long time, I want to make sure you're ready. I don't want to hurt you," he murmured as he scissored his fingers gently, which was a form of exquisite torture all its own when Remus stroked that sensitive sweet spot within. Then when Remus began gently caressing Severus' quivering stomach with his free hand, Severus started to feel as if he could reach release without even being touched.

"You aren't hurting me, but you are going to make me lose my mind," he ground out, fisting his hands in the sheets, desperately trying to keep himself from spontaneously exploding before Remus could even finish. Unfortunately Remus was just out of his reach or he would have been tempted to try a little quid pro quo in the torture department; as it was the best he could do was to wrap his legs around Remus' waist and squeeze to show his impatience. "I'm ready! Please, Remus... now!"

Swiftly, Remus prepared himself and braced over Severus, his breathing ragged as he moved into position; he eased forward slowly, and a soft groan escaped him as he buried himself deep. Severus echoed the sound, lifting his hands to grasp Remus' shoulders. There was nothing like this, the sensation of Remus inside of him, around him, almost through him because of the way their interfaces reacted to each other. He had never felt so connected to a lover before, in both a literal and figurative sense, and he wanted more; he wanted it all. 

Canting his hips, Severus pulled Remus even deeper. He felt full, but it didn't hurt, the tingling awareness overriding any possible discomfort. He gazed up at Remus, his eyes dark and glittering with desire. "You won't hurt me, you can be rough if you'd like." He lifted a hand to Remus' cheek, brushing his fingers over Remus' lips. "Let's see how we dance together, shall we?"

Remus nodded and pursed his lips as if bestowing a brief kiss on Severus' fingers before he began to move, setting a slow, easy rhythm at first; insinuating his hand between their bodies, he curled his fingers around Severus' hard length and stroked with the same rhythm as he gazed down at Severus, seeming to watch him intently. Severus moaned, throwing his head back, matching Remus' movements.

It was as pure a pleasure as Severus had ever known, better than any sex he could ever remember, better, even, than being in the Wolf. There was an element of that connection now, not in the sense of the control he exercised over his mecha but in the feedback, as though some part of him could sense Remus' pleasure, adding it to his own and sending it surging through him only to flow outward again, gaining strength with every movement. His eyes were locked with Remus', and he felt as though he were drowning in those warm, golden depths as he watched avidly to see if Remus felt it, too. He couldn't speak; it was all he could do to keep breathing as pleasure tightened within him, surging higher and higher. Then it snapped, and he cried out Remus' name, arching backward as his entire body seemed to explode in ecstasy. 

He held on through the waves of pleasure coursing through him, watching Remus, wanting to see the moment when he, too, lost control. Scarcely a millisecond later, the echoes of Severus' release seemed to resonate within Remus, and for once, it seemed he couldn't cling to his rigid self-control; he cried out, his voice ragged and his features contorting, and he surged deep one last time as he shattered, momentarily lost in in own ecstasy.

Severus could _feel_ it when Remus lost his control, and he reveled in the sensation as it washed over him. "Yes, yes," he murmured, as he felt the echoes finally dying away, leaving him feeling sated and completely exhausted. He urged Remus down beside him, not wanting to lose the connection; even in the aftermath he could still feel the tingles of contact, muted in comparison to what he'd just experienced but still pleasant. 

"That was... indescribable," he murmured, running his hand languidly over Remus' skin. "Wonderful. Incomparable."

Remus shivered, as if the caresses were causing little aftershocks of their own, and he settled down beside Severus, looking dazed. "Indescribable is right," he said, his breathing still labored. "I've never experienced anything like that." 

"Neither have I," Severus agreed, wrapping himself around Remus, twining their limbs. "It rather makes any other experience seem like nothing more than heavy petting."

"Indeed it does," Remus murmured, and he slid his arms around Severus in return.

Questions quivered on Severus' lips, but he stilled them; he needed time to process what had happened, and no doubt Remus did, too. This changed things between them, it had to, but he wasn't certain exactly how things would change, or even how he wanted them to change. He was also tired, more drained than he could ever remember feeling after lovemaking, even if it had been a very long time since the last. 

Lifting up slightly, Severus reached down to the coverlet folded at the bottom of the bed and pulled it up over them, then settled down once again in Remus' embrace. "Stay, if you'd like... I've certainly no desire at all for you to leave," he murmured, brushing his lips over Remus' cheek. Then he chuckled. "If you even have the strength. I know I don't."

Remus seemed surprised by the invitation, but he nodded. "Thank you," he said, and then he smiled ruefully. "I'm not sure dragging myself back to my own room is possible at the moment, even for my strength and will power." 

"Good," Severus responded, settling himself in comfortably, his eyes closing as he relaxed. "So long as you don't snore, we'll be fine."

"I don't think I do," Remus said slowly as he too settled in. "I'm not sure, really. I suppose you'll let me know if I do, though."

"Probably. If it is loud enough to wake me. Considering how tired I am right now, it might take a starship launching next to my ear." Severus sighed, feeling himself going boneless. "Sleep well," he murmured, then drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Severus woke slowly, opening his eyes and finding, much to his shock, a cloud of golden brown hair just in front of his nose. One of his arms was wrapped around a warm, firm body, and he could feel tingles of awareness from the contact playing over his skin. Memories of previous night came flooding back in all their intense glory, and he drew in a breath, inhaling Remus' warm scent which had somehow become intimately familiar to him after only a single night.

He wasn't at his best when just awake, and he was certain Remus was going to want to talk about what had happened. They probably needed to, but first Severus needed the facilities and a very large cup of coffee. Yet he was reluctant to move, to lose the contact and the sense of peace he'd had so little opportunity ever to experience in his life. Of course nothing about the previous night had been quite like anything he'd ever experienced, but he didn't regret it. He only hoped Remus wouldn't regret it either.

Easing away from Remus, being as careful as possible not to wake him, Severus moved to the edge of the bed and stood before heading off toward the loo. He took care of what needed to be done, then washed up, glancing briefly at his face in the mirror. He looked relaxed, which was a bit of a surprise, considering that he had what must be one of the most important matches of his career this afternoon. But he'd slept deeply and well, and somehow the competition seemed distant, far more distant than the man still occupying his bed.

He hadn't expected what had occurred between them, but he didn't regret it, either. If he were being brutally honest with himself - not something Severus was used to being, if truth be told - he'd have to admit that as well as being attracted to Lupin, he genuinely did like him, perhaps even more than just liked. He wasn't at all certain how Remus felt about him, however, and he knew that he'd given Remus more than adequate reason to loathe him, even if he'd not meant for it to happen. All he could do, he supposed, was to see what Remus had to say and then go from there.

Leaving the loo, he crossed to the small kitchen area and pressed the button on the coffee maker to set it to brewing. Within moments the pot was filling with coffee, and he poured two cups full and prepared them as they each liked - he'd never made coffee for Remus before, but after months of working together he was aware of how Remus preferred it. Then he headed back to the bedroom, placing the coffee on the bedside table before sliding back onto the mattress, propping himself against the pillows, and sipping his coffee quietly as he waited for Remus to wake.

Remus sniffed the air before he cracked his eyes open, and he gazed blearily at Severus. "Coffee?"

Giving a snort of amusement, Severus reached for the cup he'd made for Remus, holding it out toward him. "Light cream, light sugar, right?"

Remus rolled over and sat up, and he accepted the cup with murmured thanks, closing his eyes and taking a sip with a nearly rapturous expression. "Right," he said at last, giving Severus a sidelong smile. "Thank you. How did you know?"

Severus lifted a brow, lips twitching in amusement at the look on Remus' face as he drank the coffee as though it were the nectar of the gods. "I've seen you drinking coffee for months now. You think I wouldn't notice how you prefer yours?"

"Well... no," Remus admitted, giving him a look that was half-sheepish and half-apologetic. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you don't utterly disdain me and that we had sex. Realizing you noticed how I take my coffee is farther down on the list."

"If you don't hurry and catch up, we'll have been partners for fifty years and retiring together to some backwoods hick planet to grow organic vegetables," Severus replied tartly. He was a little stung that after all he'd said and tried to show Remus that Remus still seemed to doubt him, but it was his own fault for not having reigned in his tongue. Sipping his coffee, he wondered what he could possibly do to salvage the situation, and why he even wanted to try.

Fluffing up a pillow on his side of the bed, Remus scooted over and leaned against it. "I'll do my best," he replied, the infernal calm that had driven Severus crazy so often back in his voice. "Is there anything in particular you want me to check before the match today? I'll do a thorough diagnostic, of course, but if there's anything special you want done, let me know."

Severus turned to look at Remus, shaking his head. "All right, I may not be very in touch with softer emotions, and I certainly have a temper and I know I've made you distrust me, but I don't think even _I_ deserve for you to shut me out at a time like this. If you consider last night a mistake, then fine, we'll pretend it never happened and keep our relationship purely professional. I may be a hot head, but right now I have to wonder if anyone can have as much ice water in their veins as you seem to have." He sounded extremely calm, the even tone of his voice almost matching Remus', but deep inside he felt sick.

Remus snapped his head around, wide-eyed, his expression stricken, and for an instant, Severus thought he saw a tell-tale shimmer in Remus' golden eyes before Remus looked away. "I'm sorry," Remus said softly, putting his cup aside. "I don't mean to be cold. I just... oh, _hell_!" He buried his face in both hands and leaned forward, his shoulders hunched.

Shocked, Severus stared at him for a moment, at a complete loss. He wasn't certain what he'd expected, perhaps for Remus to calmly get out of bed and leave, agreeing they should be nothing but professional associates, or maybe even for Remus to say that he didn't want anything to do with Severus at all, but he certainly hadn't expected _this_. What was he supposed to do? Did Remus even want comfort from him, or should he just get up and leave and try to pretend nothing had ever happened? Maybe if he could find Remus' medication, he could slip him enough so that he'd even forget this had happened.

Recovering his wits, Severus sighed, reaching out a hesitant hand and laying it on Remus' shoulder, prepared for him to knock it away. "Do you want to tell me what I've done now? Whatever it is, I'm sorry."

"It's not you," Remus said, his voice sounding watery. After a moment, he straightened and wrapped the sheet securely around himself, and he drew his knees up under his chin and wrapped both arms around his legs. His face was flushed, but his eyes seemed clear now, as if he'd gotten himself back under control. "It's my fault. I got what I wanted only to find I'm not at all right for it, no matter how much I'd like to be."

If anything, Lupin's words confused Severus even more, and he wondered wildly if Remus had had some sort of mental breakdown, or if this was some bizarre side effect of his medication that he'd not bothered to warn Severus about. "All right," he said, his tone doubtful, and he lifted his hand away. "Um... do I need to get a doctor for you? Perhaps you don't realize it, but you are making absolutely no sense whatsoever."

That coaxed a watery chuckle from Remus, and he shook his head. "I don't need a doctor." He sighed and scrubbed his face with one hand. "I suppose I'd better come clean before you have me carted away." He paused, as if collecting his thoughts, and then he began to speak again in a quiet, level voice. "When Regulus asked me if I'd be your mechanic if you agreed to accept the sockets and Wolf, I jumped at the chance. I'd followed your career, you see, and I admired your piloting skills, but..." His cheeks grew flushed, and he glanced away. "I had a bad case of hero worship. A stupid crush on a celebrity. I thought you were sexy, and I've always been drawn to bad boy types, so you were... Well, let's just say you were my type."

He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. "When we met, I tried to be helpful and encouraging. I wanted you to like me, but I guess I only managed to annoy you. That day the reporter showed up was the day you fell off the pedestal I'd put you on, and when you got drunk..." He shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. I was disappointed in your behavior and disappointed that you seemed to dislike me. All I wanted was for you to like me, not because you see me as some good, noble, dull saint or because the sockets let us have incredible sex, but because we connect and have things in common. But I'm not a wild, aggressive lover, and I _am_ dull. I don't have a life beyond my work for Black Star, so I suppose it's no wonder we haven't connected. We're too different, and it's led to one misunderstanding after another."

Severus listened, but he was having a hard time wrapping his mind around what he was hearing. Somehow it was as though he and Remus had lived through the same experiences during the last couple of months, but somehow nothing about what had happened had been perceived by either of them in the same way. He never would have guessed that Remus had a crush on him, not in a million years! Remus had always been so calm, so aloof, that it had goaded Severus into being on his absolute worst behavior. He'd tried to rectify it, had tried to do what he could to salvage the situation, and now it seemed that he might have put Remus off completely.

"I don't know what to say," he murmured finally, realizing he had to speak but unable to completely comprehend what was happening. "I didn't know. I never suspected you thought me anything except a royal, immature pain in the arse, and I thought your calm demeanor was a way of trying to show me that I couldn't get to you, to make me feel like an immature jerk. I can certainly be an immature jerk, but until you no one ever made me actually feel guilty about it."

Lifting a hand, Severus rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry. I thought that by agreeing to start over that I was doing what you wanted, that I could rectify what I'd fucked up before. I was attracted to you from the first, and in part my bad behavior was an attempt to get you to notice me, because I thought... well. Obviously I thought wrong. With the reporter, I _wanted_ you to call me down for my bad behavior because I thought it would mean you had noticed and were going to stand up to me - instead it made me feel like you just didn't give a rat's arse about what I thought about anything. When I got drunk... well, you already know what that was all about, and it knocked me for a loop because you didn't seem to hate me for what I'd done, when I was certain that no one could ever understand, much less forgive me. Then I agreed to start over because I thought that was what you wanted. I wanted to please you because... because you were the first person to show any faith in me, and I'm including myself in that. But now..." he shrugged. "Obviously you think this was all a mistake, and I'm sorry. We can finish the mission and... I suppose that will be it." He felt numb, not knowing what to think or do. For the first time in his life, Severus felt as though his heart might be breaking.

Remus was silent for a long moment, just watching Severus pensively. "For the record," he said at last, "I do have faith in you. That's why I was so disappointed and frustrated with you. I thought you were better than you were allowing yourself to be. I don't hate you for what you did, either. If you don't take away anything else, take away this: I don't think you're responsible for what happened, and I don't think you should keep carrying the burden of guilt." He breathed deeply and drew himself up straight. "The calmness that drove you crazy is just me, I'm afraid. I told you before that I don't like drama, and I think anger is a waste of time. I don't like conflicts either, which is why I never argued with you about your behavior, but I wasn't behaving that way to make you feel immature."

He hesitated, and then he scooted closer to Severus and reached out to touch Severus' arm lightly. "I think... Well, it seems to me as if we've been talking and acting at cross-purposes all this time, but I'd like to try to stop doing that. I don't think last night was a mistake, and I don't regret it. I was just afraid, because you're the only one who can make me not-calm, and I haven't handled that well. I'm sorry, Severus. I never meant to hurt you, I swear it. I think our respective insecurities have been getting in the way of really listening to each other, but I _want_ to understand you."

Nothing was making any sense; Severus could hear Remus talking, could understand the words, but something inside him wanted to curl into a ball and push away the whole world. He didn't know what to say or do, afraid that anything, no matter what it was, would be the wrong thing. Remus wanted to understand him, yet Remus kept shutting him out, throwing up that wall of calmness that Severus couldn't breach. Another part of him wanted to lash out again, but he suppressed that, knowing for certain it would drive Remus away. His chest and throat felt tight, and he wiped his hands over his eyes, surprised to find them damp.

Turning his face away so that Remus couldn't see, Severus shrugged. "You said you got what you wanted, and it wasn't right," he managed to get out, his voice rough and husky. "That sounds like regret to me."

"No!" Remus' response was immediate and vehement as he moved closer. "No, that isn't what I meant. I said I got what I wanted, but _I_ wasn't right. I thought... I was afraid I'm not right for you. I was afraid that if it wasn't for the sockets, I wouldn't be the kind of lover you wanted. What I meant was all about me and my fears, not you." He reached out and touched Severus' hair, stroking it gently. "I still think you're sexy, and I swear I don't regret last night. I was afraid, which is my issue to deal with. It's not your fault."

Severus shivered. He wanted to believe Remus' words, but it was hard, so hard when he felt he'd extended himself and gotten shut out. "You keep shutting me out," he murmured, still not able to look at Remus, not wanting the vulnerability he felt to show. He'd never felt so out of his depth, so insecure - no one had ever made him feel the way Remus did, either for the good or the bad, and part of him was petrified. "I don't know why things I say make you just... go calm. I've been reaching out to you, but... I don't know. I feel as though everything I say is the wrong thing, no matter what I try. I can't even argue with you about the sockets, because we do have them, so there's no way I can prove that I'd want you without them, is there? Maybe the real problem is that I'm not right for _you_."

"I don't really want to believe that," Remus said softly, lowering his hand. "I'm sorry for shutting you out and for making you feel as if nothing you do is right. I was afraid, so I dealt with it the only way I know how: keeping a safe distance. I didn't do it to hurt you, but to protect myself. I'll try not to do it again."

At last Severus lifted his head, looking at Remus, not knowing how much of his pain and fear still showed in his eyes. "What did I say, though? You shut me out for knowing how you like your coffee? I am trying to understand _you_ , but it's hard to do when I feel as though I've let down my defenses, started over at your request, and still don't know what I've said that made you even feel defensive in the first place. You asked that we treat each other like adults, and _I_ have tried. But if you're feeling as though you're having to constantly protect yourself from me, then maybe it would be better just to..." He stopped, not really wanting to say the words.

"I'm sorry," Remus murmured, rubbing his forehead. "I did notice you were different, but I didn't realize how much you had lowered your defenses. I suppose I let myself get too caught up in my own issues to read you well. I didn't shut you out for knowing how I like my coffee. I'd made a serious remark, trying to let you know I was trying to process everything, and when you were flippant about it, I thought that meant you didn't want to talk about it, or you didn't care, so I took refuge in talking about work." He scrubbed his face with both hands wearily. "Obviously my normal demeanor and coping mechanisms don't work for you, so what would you like me to try to do instead?"

"Just say you don't like something when you don't like it," Severus replied, sighing. "I wasn't being flippant, I was trying to keep things light even though I was a bit stung that after all we'd said, and what we'd shared, that you still seemed to think I couldn't like you enough to notice how you liked your coffee. I _told_ you I liked you, and I knew it was my own sodding temper that had created this mess in the first place, so instead of being snarky I tried to tell a joke and I obviously failed miserably." He gave a rather lopsided smile. "Obviously my sense of humor isn't as witty as I'd thought."

"No, your sense of humor is fine. Mine is the one going lacking, I think." Remus smiled ruefully. "I've taken things far too seriously when I should have relaxed and enjoyed instead, and it's caused a great deal of trouble and pain for both of us. I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry I didn't realize how hard you were trying. I do appreciate it, and I promise I'll stop wallowing and start listening - and I'll speak up instead of shutting down." He sat up straight, and his smile widened slightly. "I can do that, if it'll help us communicate better."

"I think it will, yes," Severus replied, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to relax. This hadn't been the conversation he thought they'd be having, but maybe they'd cleared the air. Leaning over, he brushed his fingers over Remus' cheek, a light caress. "And now... we have a competition, I'm afraid. I need to clear my head before the match with Malfoy, or he'll kick my arse, and that wouldn't do much for my ego, or my mood."

"Or our chances of getting to Borealis." Remus' eyes went wide with apparent alarm, and then he grimaced. "We never contacted Regulus last night. I suppose at this point, we might as well wait until after the match, since he'll probably want to discuss his plans for our next step."

Severus sighed. He couldn't believe they'd forgotten Black... or maybe he could. "I had other things than Black or Malfoy or even sodding Voldemort on my mind for once, but I don't think it will hurt for Black not to hear until after the match. That way we can present it as a fait accompli, and he won't have to be chewing his nails down about whether we're going to win." He hesitated, then moved to kiss Remus' lips, a light caress. "We are going to win."

Remus returned the kiss lightly and offered an encouraging smile. "Of course. Malfoy hasn't got a tenth of your talent."

Pulling back, Severus nodded, hoping that was the case; it had to be, or everything they'd gone through would all be for nothing. And that was completely unacceptable.

* * *

As it turned out, Remus was correct.

Severus wasn't certain if Malfoy was experiencing some kind of hangover from the medication they'd given him, or if it was just that Severus himself was particularly "on" for the match, but within five minutes of entering the arena it was all over. Malfoy's mecha lay in a sparking ruin on the plascrete, Severus looming over him like some vengeful god. The crowd went wild, and Severus shook his head, surprised that after all the build up, Malfoy had gone down so easily. Still, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and after the turmoil of the morning he needed a break.

The awards ceremony had passed in a blur, but they had only stayed long enough for the formalities before heading back to their hotel to pack and board the Black Star liner that would carry them to Borealis. Severus hurried to his stateroom, but only long enough to toss his personal effects inside before heading down the corridor to Remus' room. They'd not had a chance to talk since that morning, but they needed to report to Regulus Black; once they were underway they could use the liner's lightspeed comm link to call back to Sol.

He drew in a breath, then lifted his hand and knocked.

Remus answered quickly, and he smiled as he stepped aside to let Severus in. "Congratulations again," he said warmly. "I still can't get over how quickly you took down Malfoy!"

"I had strong motivation," Severus said, inclining his head in acknowledgment of the compliment. "And congratulations to you, as well. We're a team, remember? I couldn't do it without you." He looked around Remus' quarters, noting the relative lack of any personal effects, and he shook his head with a a rueful chuckle. "I see you don't go in for bric-a-brac any more than I do. The very few times I've had anyone in my home, they comment about how minimalistic everything is. I suspect that's a tactful way of saying empty."

Remus smiled wryly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yes, well... My life revolves around my work. That doesn't leave much time for accumulating stuff. Or friends or much of a personal life," he added a little wistfully. "Empty is a good way to describe it, I suppose."

"I prefer the term 'uncluttered'," Severus said. He moved to stand in front of Remus, taking his free hand and holding it, enjoying the tingling awareness of the contact. "I told you that I thought we had a lot on common, didn't I? Work has been my life as well, simply because I didn't know what else to do with myself. But it doesn't have to stay that way."

"No, it doesn't." Remus smiled up at him, his golden eyes warm, and he twined their fingers.

That was all the encouragement Severus needed; they'd nearly managed to tear each other apart over a misunderstanding that morning, but Remus' touch and the warmth of his eyes reassured Severus that he'd not flubbed it beyond all hope. Stepping closer, he lifted his free hand to Remus' cheek, caressing it gently before lowering his head and pressing his lips to Remus' in a light, questioning kiss. Without hesitation, Remus parted his lips, inviting Severus to deepen the kiss, and he slid his free arm around Severus' waist, pressing closer.

Severus didn't hesitate to take the invitation, kissing Remus deeply, but slowly, taking his time to savor the sweet contact. It was just as potent as it had been during their first kiss, sensation coursing along every nerve and making pleasure coil inside him like a winding spring. He would have liked nothing better than to continue along this route, hopefully ending up in Remus' wide bed, but there was the call to Black to make. Severus also felt caution was advised; Remus had voiced an insecurity that he wouldn't have been Severus' lover of choice without the sockets, and so Severus knew he had some convincing to do to show Remus that he liked him and would choose to spend time with him whether or not sex was involved.

Pulling back, he brushed his thumb over the wet, rosy swell of Remus' lower lip, and gave a sigh of regret. "I'd like nothing more than to continue, but unfortunately we have Black to consider at the moment. We need to report to him, in case what we discovered changes his plans."

Remus' expression was regretful as he released Severus and stepped back. "You're right," he said, inclining his head to acknowledge the point. "No doubt he's waiting to hear from us now that the match is over."

"No doubt," Severus agreed. He stepped over to the communications console, pressing a button to bring up a display that showed the had passed light speed. He nodded in satisfaction, then entered the private code Regulus had given them to contact him. By Solarian time it was late evening, so Severus had little doubt they would get right through.

They did, although there was no video and Regulus' voice tersely ordered them to "wait a pico," before the sounds went muted. There were several moments of silence, and then Regulus appeared on the display, looking a bit rumpled with the top button of his shirt unfastened. "There you are!" he said, looking between the two of them with a mock glare. "I've been worried! I shouldn't have to hear from the newsies that you won, Severus."

"You're right," Severus replied mildly, then shrugged. "We were busy packing and boarding the liner so that we could get to Borealis as quickly as possible. We've news for you, as it happens. Since it was all Remus' plan, I'll let him tell you."

"Remus' plan?" Regulus looked surprised, glaring between the two of them. "What did the two of you do, and how much is it going to cost me?"

"Don't worry," Remus said soothingly. "It won't cost _you_ anything, but it may cost GenDyne everything. Severus slipped Malfoy half a dose of my medication at the banquet last night, and we interrogated him while he was out of it. I think we got him to spill just about everything he knows about GenDyne," he added with a smile that had a definite evil slant to it.

Severus took a moment to admire the wicked grin on Remus' face, then looked at Regulus. "He doesn't know definitely that Voldemort is alive, but he believes someone is pulling Bellatrix's strings."

Regulus looked stunned, his jaw dropping in disbelief. "You _did_?" he asked, as though he couldn't believe his ears. Then he recovered himself, giving a low whistle. "Well I'll be damned... you two really do make a good team," he said, looking at Remus for a moment and raising a brow before addressing them both again. "Dare I hope you recorded it?"

"Of course!" Remus nodded firmly. "We got everything, so you can put the intel boys to work as soon as we send it." He glanced at Severus. "Severus was the one who remembered to record him. We do make a good team."

Something in Remus' voice seemed to rouse Regulus' suspicions, for his eyes narrowed and he looked between the two of them. "Oh? And why wasn't I told about this last night? Why wait until after the match today to tell me about this little coup?"

A hint of pink stained Remus' cheeks, but he straightened his spine and didn't look away from the screen. "We were distracted by sex," he admitted calmly. "But before you lecture us on our priorities, it wasn't just for fun. I was upset because Malfoy told us GenDyne has been experimenting on people who don't have the wizard gene and writing them off as 'failed experiments', and things developed from there." He reached out to clasp Severus' hand again. "We _did_ contact you first today, however," he added, a virtuous note injected in his voice.

If Black had looked stunned before, he looked totally flabbergasted at Remus' announcement, and he gazed at their joined hands in disbelief. "But..." he began, then seemed to falter, looking much less the elegant and self-assured tycoon than usual. He shook his head. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"Then don't," Severus chimed in helpfully, giving Remus a dryly amused look and squeezing his hand supportively. "We also waited because we thought that you'd be better able to plan once we had defeated Malfoy. We'll send the recording, and if you could have your bright young intel types work on the info and create maps and password lists, along with possible alternatives, that would help us to accomplish our goal. We don't plan to hesitate once reaching Borealis - we'll move immediately, hopefully before they even suspect we're gone."

"Malfoy doesn't even suspect that he was mined for information last night," Remus said. "We still have the advantage of surprise on our side."

"Good." Regulus seemed to be recovering, his keen mind already starting to turn over possibilities. "Send that recording now, and I'll put my best people on it. I'll have them send back a synthesis as quickly as possible." His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at Severus. "Just one warning, Snape - if you hurt Remus there will be no place you can run, no place you can hide to save you from what I'll do to you. Do you understand?"

Black's words were a surprise, but Severus did not flinch. "I have no intention of hurting him, I assure you." If anything, he wanted to do quite the opposite, if they could somehow manage to reach an understanding.

Remus shook his head, seeming amused by Black's protectiveness. "Thank you, Regulus," he said. "Although if you scare off my first chance for an actual personal life in years, I'll be very cross with you."

Regulus gave Remus a somewhat sheepish smile. "Yes, well... I don't want you hurt, Remus. Not just because of everything you've done for the company, and for me, but because... well, because you deserve to be happy. No offense, Severus, but you've not exactly cultivated a loving and cuddly personality."

"No offense taken," Severus replied evenly, although he made a mental note to blast Regulus Black through a bulkhead when Remus wasn't around. "Remus knows what I'm like, and he knows I'm trying." He glanced at Remus, searching his face. "Or at least I hope you do."

Remus turned away from the screen, and although his expression was calm, Severus could see warmth and affection in his eyes. "Yes, I know what you're like, and I know you're trying." He craned up and murmured in Severus' ear. "You're succeeding, too."

A wide smile curved Severus' lips, and he gave Remus a heated look before turning back to Regulus' image on the screen. "There you have it, Black. We'll send the recording along, and you can contact us when you have something useful. Now, unless there's anything else?"

"No, nothing," Regulus said, looking at Severus through narrowed eyes, before turning and smiling at Remus. "Well, then. I'll be in touch. Black out."

The screen went dark, and Severus shook his head. "If you have the recording, we can send it, and then we're finished for a bit. Well, other than maintenance on the mecha and practicing in Wolf and LILI, and probably several other things I'm forgetting."

"I think practicing should be our main priority," Remus replied as he released Severus' hand and went to get the recorder, and he held it up triumphantly when he returned. "Here it is! I suppose it's wrong of me to want to keep a copy so I can listen to Malfoy spill his guts over and over."

"I don't think it's wrong... so long as you let me listen as well." Severus took the recorder, placed it on the console and hit a few keys to have it scanned and transmitted to Black Star. In a matter of moments it chimed to signal completion, and Severus lifted the recorder and handed it back to Remus. "There, that's done. So... practicing, you say? You're a hard taskmaster, but since I'm trying to turn over a new leaf, very well."

"Well, we don't have to start practice right away," Remus said, glancing coyly at him. "You did just win a match, after all. I think we can take some time to celebrate."

"Oh?" Severus smiled, reaching out to touch Remus' cheek gently. "And how would you like to celebrate? Shall I take you to dinner in the galley and feed you by hand? Or shall we go to the observation deck and dance under the starlight?"

"That all sounds very romantic," Remus said as he slid his arms around Severus' neck and pressed closer, heat kindling in his eyes as he smiled up at Severus. "But I'd rather stay here in bed with you instead."

"Ah..." Severus wrapped his arms around Remus, pulling him even closer. "If that's what you'd like. Just so you know that this... us... isn't all about the sex for me, as fantastic as it is. I'm willing to woo you - or try, at any rate - with something other than vitriol, if you'd like. I'd rather forgo sex until you feel secure with me, if that would help you to believe that I do like you and that we do have something in common."

"I do believe you," Remus replied, reaching up to touch Severus' cheek and sending little sparks down Severus' spine. "I realized after our conversation this morning that you went far out of your comfort zone for me, and I'm grateful you were willing to do that. It told me a lot about your regard for me. What I want," he added, tilting his head back and regarding Severus questioningly, "is for us to relax and be ourselves. Can we do that without falling back into the cycle of misunderstanding? I don't want you to change your whole personality for my sake; who you are is what drew me to you in the first place, after all."

"I don't think I could change my whole personality no matter how hard I tried," Severus snorted, capturing Remus' hand and pressing it against his cheek. "If it helps, I wanted to tear Regulus Black into tiny shreds for butting into our business, and I won't promise not to turn the air blue in his presence next time I see him." He paused, drawing in a deep breath. "I will try not to misunderstand anything, and if I don't understand, I'll ask. Is that enough for you to feel comfortable with? I think relaxing and being comfortable will take a little time, but we'll get there."

Remus stroked Severus' cheek gently with his thumb. "I hope so. I'm willing to try."

"So am I." Severus leaned forward, brushing his lips against Remus'. Reaching to the fastenings of Remus' shipsuit, he toyed with the top one. "Still want to do that relaxation in bed?"

"Definitely," Remus replied, his voice deepening and turning husky as he closed his fingers in the front of Severus' shipsuit and began tugging him backward toward the bedroom. "We have to make sure Black Star's premiere pilot is fully rested and relaxed before the biggest mission of his life, right? I plan to relax you into a puddle, Mr. Snape."

Severus chuckled, enjoying this side of Remus, playful and seductive. "I put myself in your capable hands, Mr. Lupin," he said. Considering how Remus' touch affected him he wasn't quite certain that relaxation would be the end result, but if it made Remus happy, he was certainly willing to try.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been ten years since Severus had last seen the world of his birth, and as the Black Star ship _Galaxy_ orbited above it, Severus wondered if all his efforts to escape dying on it would be in vain after all.

Pushing aside that morbid line of thought, he turned away from the head's viewport to look in the mirror again, resisting the urge to reach up and touch the short strands of his hair. He'd not had short hair since he'd been a child, and it looked odd and felt even odder, especially when combined with the dark bronze color of his normally pale skin. He didn't see how anyone could recognize him when he couldn't even recognize himself, but then he supposed that was the point of being in disguise.

He was attired in the dark blue uniform of a GenDyne maintenance worker, including an ident badge that had been supplied by Black's happy little band of spies down on the planet. For all that anyone at GenDyne would know, he and Remus were just ordinary low level workers going about their ordinary low level jobs and would pay them no mind. Or at least that was the plan; whether it worked or not remained to be seen.

Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped out into the bedroom, his eyes immediately seeking out Remus. He stopped still, stunned at seeing Remus sporting a head of auburn hair and blue eyes made even bluer by the uniform he wore. He looked... different. Not unattractive, but Severus preferred Remus' normal coloration to that of his disguise, and it was odd looking at him as what amounted to a stranger. But the smile was still all Remus, and Severus relaxed fractionally, telling himself that this was a competition, just like any other; the difference was that this time his enemy was everyone in that facility except for Remus, and a loss would no doubt mean a slow, painful, and extremely undesirable death.

"So... do you think anyone will recognize me?" he asked, picking up the tool box which was the last part of his disguise. He donned a bored, when-is-my-lunch-break expression, and peered at the chrono on his wrist with feigned dismay.

"I don't know if _I_ would recognize you, and I've become intimately familiar with every inch of you," Remus replied, giving Severus an appraising once-over, although he didn't seem displeased by what he saw. "Dark skin suits you, but I like your hair long."

"I feel naked - and not in the good, fun way," Severus replied, reaching up to touch his hair again. He picked up Remus' tool box, holding it out to him with a heated smile. "Perhaps when the mission is over I'll let you explore every inch of my darker side, as it were. If you really like it, perhaps I'll even keep it."

Accepting the tool box, Remus returned the heated smile with one of his own. "I'd like to make a thorough inspection just for comparison's sake," he said, his tone one of faux-innocence. "Are we ready?" His expression grew somber as he moved to Severus' side, standing close enough that his arm brushed against Severus' as if seeking a little contact for support. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get out of there and celebrate a job well done."

"As ready as I'll ever be." Severus drew in a deep breath, then turned and caught Remus against him with his free arm, bending his head and kissing Remus hard. "For luck," he murmured against Remus' lips.

Releasing Remus, he stepped back. "The shuttle is waiting for us. Shall we go?"

Remus nodded, the sparkle in his eyes in the wake of the kiss apparent despite the blue lenses, and he gripped his tool box firmly and lifted his chin. "I'm ready. Let's go!" he said, and he fell into step beside Severus as they made their way to the waiting shuttle.

Severus was pensive on the flight down, unable to shake the sense of dread he felt, increasing with every meter closer they came to the planet. By the time they landed on the surface he was positively grim, and he had to draw in a deep breath to calm himself as he rose from his seat. The shuttle pilot unbolted the door, and Severus moved forward with determination, not wanting Remus to think he was weak or getting cold feet. 

He turned to look at Remus, then inhaled, drawing in the first breath of Borealis air that he'd breathed in a decade. His eyes widened, then he clenched them against the stab of pain he felt. It smelled like _home_ , and the bittersweet ache he felt told him that he was more sentimental than he'd ever allowed himself to believe.

Opening his eyes again, he swallowed. "Sorry. Are you ready? According to Black's briefing, we should have about a kilometer walk to the back entrance."

"We can take a minute," Remus said softly, grasping Severus' hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, his eyes revealing his concern. "This is the first time you've been home since the war, isn't it? It was brave of you to come back and face old demons."

Severus was touched by Remus' concern, and he returned the pressure of Remus' hand, taking comfort in the familiar tingle of contact that passed between them. It was no longer startling, but it was reassuring, familiar, as much a part of their relationship as they themselves were. "I don't feel terribly brave," he said, looking out into the darkness, wondering if there really might be demons out there waiting for them. Then he turned back to Remus. "It used to be home, but it isn't, not any more. Let's get this done."

With another slight squeeze he released Remus' hand and walked with determination down the short ramp to the ground. They had landed in a small clearing in the midst of the thick forest which surrounded GenDyne's main facility, which was located about a hundred kilometer's from the nearest city. Obviously it was done for secrecy, just as Black Star's facilities were on an orbital station, but at least here they didn't have risk sucking vacuum just to get inside.

Severus pulled a locator out of his pocket, the tiny, faintly glowing needle pointing off to his left. He glanced at Remus, who was barely visible in the darkness. "This way," he murmured. "We should come to the road fairly quickly, and that will be lit."

"Lead on," Remus said, reaching out to squeeze Severus' shoulder. "I'm right here with you every step of the way."

Nodding, Severus started forward, pushing through the light underbrush. It took about ten minutes for them to reach the road leading to the facility, and Severus pocketed the locator and drew in a breath. "Not far now," he murmured to Remus. "Night shift workers. We should probably appear to be talking normally, in case they have cameras at the gate." Severus glanced up, seeing that Corona, the smaller of Borealis' two moons, was up and near full, its pale silver light achingly familiar. He dropped his gaze and began forward, walking at a normal pace, not too fast nor too slow. "When is the last time you were on Borealis?" 

"Hmm..." Remus frowned slightly, as if lost in thought. "Not since I was competing," he said, glancing around casually as if he was merely taking a leisurely stroll on his way to work. "Once I stopped, I always meant to come back. I loved it, and it felt like home to me while I lived here, but my work kept me busy, and there never seemed to be a good time." He shrugged and smiled wistfully. "I don't have any friends here to visit anyway, and it's a long trip just to pay respects to a tombstone."

"That it is." Severus shook his head. "I don't have anyone left here, either. I've never had many friends, and those I did have either moved away or died during the war. It's a beautiful world, but... it's not my home any longer. I don't know that I've had a home in the last ten years, except for the inside of a mecha." He looked sidelong at Remus, wondering if, perhaps, what they had could turn into something that would give him the stability he'd lacked. They had a relationship, yes, but he didn't want to rush anything and risk making the wrong move with Remus yet again. "I wouldn't mind finding a home, though. I've made enough money that I don't have to compete any longer. I just do it because it's the only think I know to do."

"There's nothing to say you can't have a home and compete too, if you want to," Remus said, and Severus thought he heard a hopeful note in his voice. "You could have a stable home base to return to, or you could take your home with you." He moved closer, close enough that his arm brushed against Severus' as they walked along. "You could even think about doing something other than competing. You've got options, Severus, if you want to take them." 

Severus looked at Remus, surprised but also pleased. Perhaps Remus did want something long term with him, and it wouldn't be as difficult as he'd feared to bring up the subject. Certainly things had been very good between them during the nearly week-long trip from Albus to Borealis, enough so that Severus really had been able to relax and be comfortable in Remus' company without worrying about saying the wrong thing. But it was a different thing to bring up the idea of a long term or even permanent relationship, and it certainly wasn't the right time to bring it up in the middle of a mission! But Remus' words gave him hope. 

"I'm ready for a change," he said, giving Remus a sidelong smile. "Perhaps Black will have a second opening for someone to train people with interfaces. Or maybe I could help with mecha design."

"I'm sure he could find a place for you and a use for your talents," Remus replied, offering an encouraging nod. "You have much to offer beyond piloting mechas, and if you're ready for a change, I think you've more than earned it." 

"Thank you - that means a lot to me," Severus said. He wanted to say more, but the gate came into view, and he tensed, looking around warily to see if there was anyone else close by. "Here we are. Nice and easy, just like we were told. Automated gate, no guards. The badges should get us in."

He stepped forward briskly, just another worker starting yet another night shift. His badge named him D. B. Cooper, an alias that Regulus Black had come up with and which had made him chuckle, but which Severus hadn't understood. Fortunately Black's amusement didn't affect the usefulness of the badge, and the barred gate moved, allowing him access. 

Stepping through, he turned and waited for Remus, more wary than ever now that he was actually in enemy territory. Remus' badge worked without incident as well, and a moment later, Remus caught up with him. 

"Where to now?" Remus murmured, keeping his voice low. 

"Into the dragon's lair," Severus replied, lifting his chin in the direction of a one-story building a short distance away. "That's a guard post, and we have to take the elevator down to the lower levels." He'd concentrated on memorizing the external routes, while Remus had taken on the task of memorizing the passwords and access codes. It was a calculated risk, to divide up the information that way, since it meant they would have to stay together to be effective. But it also meant that if one of them was captured the enemy wouldn't be able to discover everything that they knew; Severus just hoped that they could get through this without encountering more than the bare minimum number of people. One of which would be the guard in the building.

He set off toward the building, donning a bored expression as he opened the door and held it politely so that Remus could step inside. He followed, lifting his badge and showing it to the guard, an equally bored looking young man sitting behind a console.

Severus had expected the guard to just wave them through, but then the young man sat up, looking at Severus with a curious expression. "Hey, wait!" he said, and Severus froze.

Remus stopped as well and stared at the young man with a look of annoyed impatience. "Is there a problem?" he asked tersely. If he felt any apprehension, he didn't show it; he looked for all the world like a man irritated by the impertience of a young pup.

"No, just..." The young man rose to his feet, peering at Severus closely. "Man, you just look familiar, you know? I know I've seen you before."

Severus rolled his eyes, telling himself to relax and not smack the boy as he wished to do. "I've worked here for two years, you've probably seen me around," he replied, his bored tone belying his internal tension. 

"No, that's not it... I'm pretty good with faces." The guard frowned, then suddenly snapped his fingers. "I know! You look like that actor on tri-d, Enrico something-or-other! Yeah, you're a dead ringer for him. Have you ever seen him?"

"No, I don't have time to watch much tri-d, I happen to have a _job_ to do, one I need to be about," Severus replied with a scowl. "Look, there's a short circuit reported in one of the comm-links and we just want to get it fixed and get out of here, all right? We get paid by the trouble call, and the longer this one takes the fewer we can get finished on our shift, which means less money - and if my paycheck isn't up to snuff my wife isn't going to put out for a week. So can we go?"

"Yeah, sure... go on, sorry." The guard chuckled. "Women. My girlfriend's the same way - if I don't take her out on Friday nights, I can forget anything more than a peck on the cheek." He waved them toward the lift. "Go on - and good luck."

"Thanks," Severus replied, then headed for the lift.

As soon as they were in the lift, Remus turned to him with one eyebrow raised. "I'm trying not to blow our cover, but you make it difficult when you say things about your wife not putting out for a week. If we get caught because you made me laugh, it's all on your head." 

Severus' lips twitched with amusement. "I was simply trying to come up with a believable story so that he would get bored and let us leave." He sniffed haughtily. "And besides, he compared me to Enrico Sanchez, a two-bit actor in second rate tri-ds, who isn't nearly as good looking as I am and who _swishes_. I may be homosexual, but I do not swish."

"No, you definitely don't swish, and Enrico Sanchez can't hold a candle to you," Remus replied, his tone somber although his eyes were alight with amusement. "You're _very_ butch. In fact, I was overwhelmed by your masculinity when we first met."

"Really?" Severus lifted a brow, moving to press Remus against the back of the lift as they continued down. "Let's hurry up and get this done and I'll be more than happy to overwhelm you as often as you like."

Remus slid his arms around Severus and pulled him close, humming softly. "That sounds very promising," he murmured, wriggling against Severus provocatively. "It definitely motivates me to get the job done quickly so we can go home." 

"Tease," Severus breathed, desire flaring swiftly as Remus writhed against him. He bent his head to steal a kiss, then sighed. "We're almost there. Let's get this done before I forget we're on a mission and ravish you right here."

Remus returned the kiss, swift and hard, before drawing back, chuckling softly. "As appealing as that sounds, I doubt our boss would be pleased with us taking a quickie break in the middle of all this. Unfortunately," he added with a rueful smile. 

"Unfortunately," Severus echoed, stepping back with a put-upon sigh. He straightened his uniform, turning to face the front of the lift as it slid to a smooth stop and the doors opened. "Corridor Alpha Six, Column thirteen - that's where we're headed. Fifty meters straight, then turn right."

He headed down the corridor, pulling his mind back to the mission at hand, looking from side to side as they walked. Fortunately the place was as deserted as he'd hoped, and he turned right at the appropriate spot, then paused in front of a column to open an access point that didn't have anything at all wrong with it.

Beckoning Remus over, he dropped his voice. "The lift that goes further down is behind that door over to the left. You have the access code, but we should probably linger here for a few moments, just in case the guard is watching remotely." Reaching into the circuitry in front of him, Severus disconnected a wire whose function was a total mystery to him. "Crap, the problem is worse than we thought. Looks like we'll have to trace it further back." He winked at Remus and shut the access point.

"They just better not try to skimp on our overtime," Remus grumbled as he hefted his tool box and moved away from the access point and headed for the next lift. "I'm missing a big game because of this."

"You know they'll try to skimp - they never believe overtime is necessary. Of course they never believe that things just happen to break in the middle of the night either." Severus shook his head in feigned disgust, pushing open the door. The lift they wanted was just beyond it, and he followed along behind Remus, praying that the access codes hadn't been changed since Lucius had last been down here. If they had, then he and Remus would have just had the shortest mission in history.

But as soon as Remus entered the code, the lift doors swooshed open, and Remus flashed Severus a quick, triumphant smile over his shoulder as he stepped inside. "Another obstacle overcome," he murmured, sounding as pleased as he appeared. 

"Thank goodness," Severus said, immeasurably relieved. If the first code was good, it was likely the others were as well, and that increased their chances of success. "Level 102 is our next destination."

The lift disgorged them at the correct floor, and then Remus' codes got them through two more doors. They only saw one other person along the way, a woman with a clipboard who ignored them completely, too focused on whatever she was reading to pay attention to a pair of nondescript maintenance workers. Severus didn't relax, however; his palms began to sweat as they drew closer to their destination, and he became even more wary.

At last they were before a set of large double doors, behind which, if the information Lucius had fed them was correct, were all six of the advanced mechas in GenDyne's possession. Severus hadn't mentioned it, but he also knew that a bit further along the corridor they'd come along was the medical ward where the GenDyne's failed "experiments" were lodged. He knew how Remus felt about it, and while he himself was also sickened, he felt the best thing they could do was to escape with one of the mechas as planned and let the Sector government deal with GenDyne. They simply couldn't escape with a hundred people, no matter how much Severus wished he could help.

"This is it," he murmured, pointing toward the keypad which would give them access. "Just a few more minutes, and we'll be on our way out."

"Right," Remus said softly as he moved to stand in front of the pad. Severus thought he saw Remus glance in the direction of the medical ward, but he wasn't certain, and his attention was quickly refocused when Remus entered the code, and the wide double doors slid open. 

Drawing in a breath, Severus stepped inside the large room as the lights came up. It was just as well that he had inhaled, for the sight within left him breathless. 

Six perfect, identical mechas stood within, their metal skins gleaming in the light. They didn't look exactly like LILI, nor did they look like his own Wolf, but somewhere in between - smooth and sleek and deadly.

"Gorgeous," Severus murmured, then shivered. As beautiful as the mechas were, the purpose for which they were intended was anything but, and they had to get one out of here to stop it. Turning to Remus, he nodded briskly. "Pick one, and let's go. I'll keep watch while you get it warmed up."

Remus seemed as mesmerized by the sight of the mechas as Severus, but he tore his attention away from the sleek machines when Severus spoke. "Maybe I ought to help you get attached first," he suggested. "You've had less practice with it than I have, and these are strange machines. I want to make sure you're okay before I take one myself." 

Severus glanced back toward the doors, debating the wisdom of that - he'd much rather see Remus safely installed in one before taking one for himself, but Remus was the mechanic, and he was right. Remus had years of practice on two different advanced mechas while Severus had only a couple of months in one. "All right," he agreed reluctantly, looking at the mechas again. There didn't seem to be anything to choose between them, so he shrugged and chose the first one in the line. Crossing to it, he unfastened the sleeves of the jumpsuit he wore and pushed them back, revealing his sockets. It took a moment to locate the exterior release for the mecha, but once he pressed it the cybernetic armor opened like a giant clamshell, allowing him to haul himself inside.

"The attachments look pretty much the same," he commented, reaching around to tug at the cable which would click into place at the base of his spine, then the one for the base of his skull. He could feel the hum start to sing along his nerve endings, similar to the Wolf but enough different to be disconcerting, particular as he could feel an edge of pain to the contact. He looked down at Remus, frowning. "It's not a HARI interface... Damn, no wonder they overloaded people!"

He could see Remus' eyes widen with alarm. "Severus, if the machines are built wrong - if you feel any danger of overloading - you should unhook immediately!"

"I can handle it," Severus said grimly. He adjusted his feet and arms so that the final sockets made contact, then blinked at the overlay of information. "There seems to be some sort of moderator on the feedback, but it's not as sophisticated as a HARI. I'm not going to press my luck, believe me. Let's just get these damned things out of here before someone notices us, then you and Black's other bright boys can rip them to pieces. Close me up, please - I don't want our run of good luck to run out."

"All right," Remus replied, still looking dubious, but he closed up the mecha securely, and then he stepped back. "You're ready to go!" he called out, although he didn't make a move toward any of the other mechas himself. 

Severus checked that the seal was positive, then looked down at Remus, wondering why he wasn't moving. "Get in a mecha, we don't have all day!" He glanced at the status board and growled. "Fuck! They've disabled the weapons on these things! Remus, get your arse moving, if they find us we're going to be sitting ducks with no ability to fire back!"

"I'm sorry, Severus, but I can't do that," Remus replied, backing away. "You go ahead without me. I have my own mission to take care of before I can leave." With that, he turned and headed for the double doors. 

"What? Remus... Lupin! Get the hell back here!" Severus shouted, lurching forward in the mecha and cursing as he flailed wildly. The interface wasn't what he was used to, and the rush of adrenaline through his system didn't help him with control. 

Unfortunately, the moment his mecha left its dock, an alarm began to shriek and the lights in the mecha room went red. "FUCK!" Severus growled in frustration, trying to control the unfamiliar mecha so that he could chase Remus down and take him out by force. Unfortunately Remus was too quick, and by the time Severus managed another step forward Remus was gone, and heavy, armored doors were sliding shut behind him.

Severus stopped dead, fear and fury mixing within him. How could Remus leave him like this? What bloody mission could he possibly have that...

All the blood drained from Severus' face. He _knew_ where Remus was headed - toward the damaged pilots, the ones being used as experiments to help GenDyne perfect their interface. And from the looks of it, there wasn't a bloody damned thing Severus could do to stop him.

"Fucking idiot!" Severus screamed uselessly, wasting precious time bashing his armored hands against the doors. For all his mechanized strength he only succeeded in denting them, and he began to curse - low, dark, foul words, calling up every profanity he could remember from his world and every other he'd ever visited. He breathed deeply, not stopping his litany, but calling forth the cold logic he used in battle; not the tame competitions he'd been participating in for the last five years, but the training of the killer who had fought first in Voldemort's service, and then against him.

There were only two options: he could try to escape and go after Remus, or he could try to escape and head back to the shuttled. The first was the one he wanted to do, but it would almost certainly end in both of them being caught, tortured, and killed since this mecha had no weapons other than its strength, and even that wouldn't be proof against all the might of GenDyne. The second, however, might actually give Remus a chance to hide himself somewhere, if GenDyne could be made to believe that there was only a single thief and that he was trying to get away. Then, if Severus actually managed to get away, he could retrieve the Wolf and come back... and at that point _nothing_ would stop him from leveling the fucking planet if that was what it took to get Remus back.

Severus felt his rage change from flaming fury to cold purpose, harder than battle steel. With the return of logic he could also see the futility of his action in beating on the steel door. Remembering the plans of the building that had been put together by Black's intel goons, Severus fell back to the original escape plan, crossing back to the other mechas and ripping the heads off of each one so that they couldn't be used against him. It took a couple of minutes to accomplish, even with the mechas being unpowered and helpless, and by the time he was finished he knew that he didn't have much time before there would be armored troops descending upon him. Moving to the back of the room, Severus punched through the wall, grunting with annoyance as the feedback surging back from the mecha caused a flare of pain up his arm and down his spine. The interface in this mecha could definitely burn him out, making him like Remus, or worse, and he needed to be careful not to overdo it.

Fortunately the wall at the back wasn't armored, which wasn't too much of a surprise - encasing an entire room in battle armor was difficult and expensive, and normally people wouldn't think to just go through a wall if the doors were armored. Severus crashed through the weakened plascrete, emerging in a storage room, then crossed quickly toward the doors on the other side. 

The escape plan was simple, so long as GenDyne wasn't overly paranoid about the possibility of their top secret mechas being stolen by one of their own pilots. All he had to do was make his way two rooms over to the launch bay, where he could use the mecha's jump jets to power his way to the surface. At that point, all he had to worry about was being followed by fighter craft, shot down, then taken back and tortured for all the information he possessed, which included the fact that Remus had taken his arse off to try to rescue a bunch of people who were probably beyond saving. 

No problem. Or not more of one than attempting to stop a supernova with a garden hose.

Of course the best part was that rather than trying to sneak around and make his own escape easy, he had to make certain that security knew _exactly_ where he was. If they were chasing him, perhaps they wouldn't be chasing Remus.

Cursing in annoyance, Severus left the storage room the hard way - through the wall rather than the door, making as much noise as possible. Not surprisingly, he heard shouts from down the hallway, and as he pounded his way down the corridor toward the launch bay the first phalanx of security rounded the corner and stormed toward him. 

The high-pitched whine of energy weapons reached him, simultaneous with an impact against his back that knocked him forward, causing him to have to trigger his jump jets to keep his feet. As he regained his balance he spotted a beverage dispenser, and without a second thought he tore it from its moorings and hurled it back toward the people following him. The gap in the fire gave him the opportunity to slip into the launch bay, which was mercifully unoccupied except for the row of silent but lethal attack craft. Turning back toward the door, Severus triggered the emergency switch which locked the doors during a launch; it wouldn't stop his pursuers, but it would slow them down. He needed that time, since the only things that could really hurt him or stop the shuttle craft were the atmospheric fighters in this room. Fortunately, disabling them was relatively easy - a single blow from his armored fist bent the wings, making them useless. Within two minutes he'd damaged them all, and he could hear the security detail working on overriding the launch lock out.

It was time to go.

The launch bay contained an angled tube that enable the fighters to get to the surface. Fortunately the jump jets on the advanced mechas could also make it, or at least they could according to Lucius Malfoy. Hoping that he wasn't about to end up on the world's longest slide, Severus moved to beneath the tube and triggered the jets, steeling himself to burn them out if he had to in order to get to the surface.

It was a long, claustrophobic trip, but he made it, and with energy left to spare. The entire compound was bathed in light, but he kept his trajectory, flashing past the armored vehicles that were just rolling in to place to stop him. It was a far too narrow margin of safety, but it was enough. He just hoped that his pursuers concentrated on him rather than looking for a certain annoying man who was creeping around where he had no fucking business being. When Severus came back to rescue Remus, he was going to kiss him. 

Then he was going to kill him.

Within a short time he made it back to the shuttle, pushing his way into the vehicle bay. "Launch, damn it!" he told the pilot. "Get back to the ship before they're on top of us!"

"But where's..." the pilot began, only to be cut off by Severus stomping one metal foot on the deck, making the entire shuttle shake. 

"NOW." His voice was like doom, and the pilot wasted no time arguing. Severus closed his eyes, breathing deeply to slow his pounding heart. He managed to trigger the opening sequence for the mecha and slid out of it, almost falling to the floor as his knees threatened to give out. Grimly he kept himself upright, even as the shuttle took off at a speed and angle that was no doubt in violation of all navigational laws, as well as a couple of the laws of physics. That suited him fine, however, and he made his way forward to the pilot. There wasn't any time to waste, not if he was going to get Remus out.

"Call the ship," he told the pilot, already running over plans in his mind. "Tell them to get my mecha ready and loaded in another shuttle. Then you're going to bring me back."

"Back? Are you crazy?" the pilot asked, turning to stare at Severus in disbelief.

"Probably," Severus replied, giving a mirthless laugh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. No doubt he was coming back for nothing, and for all he knew Remus was already dead. But all he knew was he had to try.

He had to, even if he died in the attempt.


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean, no? Turn the fucking ship back around and take us back to Borealis, or I'll rip your head off your shoulders. _Then_ I'll get nasty!"

Severus stood toe to toe with the captain of the _Galaxy_ , and he meant every word he said. He had managed to hold on to his temper - barely! - when he had arrived on board the ship and found that not only had the Wolf not been loaded into a shuttle, there wasn't even a shuttle on the launch deck other than the one he'd just arrived in. The officer in the boat bay had stutteringly directed him to the captain, and Severus had wasted no time making his way to the bridge. He had stormed inside like a force of nature, only to be thwarted by Captain Amelia Bones, who did not seem intimidated by either his height or his temper.

"To quote a famous old two-dee, I cannot change the laws of physics, Mr. Snape," she said, folding her arms and glaring up at him. "I had my orders from Mr. Black before you ever left this ship - when you returned, _if_ you returned, I was to boost to light speed the moment your shuttle hit the deck and head back to Sol. The course was laid in and executed the minute the boat bay was buttoned up. We're past lightspeed at the moment, and I cannot simply turn the fucking ship back around. We would have to stop, get bearings, and lay in a new course. But even more importantly, I _won't_ do it. I'm not about to disobey orders on your say-so. Regulus Black is my boss, and you are simply a passenger in _my_ ship. A passenger who will find himself in the brig if he doesn't get the hell off my bridge!"

Clenching his hands at his sides, seething in fury, Severus barely managed to suppress the urge to wring the captain's neck. But that wouldn't help Remus; at the moment, the only person who could give him what he wanted was fifty light years away and sitting on his arse, no doubt drinking martinis and toasting his success. The only course was to get Black to order the captain to go back to Borealis; it had already been over an hour since everything had gone south down on the planet, and every minute wasted was one less minute Remus had.

"Fine - you'll get your orders from your _boss_ , I'll see to it," he snapped. "In the meantime, have my mecha loaded into the shuttle." Seeing the obstinate set of the captain's jaw, Severus growled, then drew in a deep breath. "Please. My partner is down there. If you don't care about his life, at least you should care that he has more than enough information to ruin Black Star if they capture him. And if there is no Black Star, you'll have to find another job."

He wasn't certain if it was the "please" or his appeal to her self-interest, but the captain relented. "Fine. Go make your call to Black, but I warn you that once he gives me the orders it will still take some time to make our way back to Borealis. Interstellar navigation isn't like piloting a mecha, Mr. Snape - you only have to be able to _see_ where you're going. We have to be able to get from point A to point B without managing to put the ship through the heart of a star in the process."

"Fine." Knowing it was the best he was going to get, Severus spun on his heel and hurried down to his quarters. The call to Black was better made in privacy, just in case he had to threaten or bargain to get what he wanted. All he knew was that he'd sell his soul to Regulus Black if that was what it took to get Remus back.

The door to his stateroom withstood the slam he gave it, then Severus forced himself to count to fifty to calm himself down. It wouldn't do to face Black when he could barely hold on to his temper. At the moment Black held all the cards, and Severus had to be able to find a way to urge him to risk everything he'd fought for in order to enable Severus to rescue someone who might no longer be in need of rescuing. 

When he felt that he could speak without yelling, Severus moved to the communications console and punched in Black's private code, then waited impatiently for the lightspeed comm link to be established.

It wasn't long at all before Black's image appeared on the screen, and he appeared delighted to see Severus. "Congratulations are in order, I take it?" he asked jovially.

Severus stared back, his expression stony. "No, they are not," he said, keeping his tone as level as possible. "I brought back the mecha, yes, but Remus didn't come back with me."

Black immediately grew somber, worry evident in his eyes. "Is he...he's not dead?"

"I don't know," Severus admitted, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "I think he went to find the people with the failed neural interfaces. I have no idea what in the fuck he thought he could do, but he tricked me into a mecha before he got in, then took off, blathering about something he had to do. When I moved to stop him the alarms went off, and then it was all I could do to get out. I tried to make enough of a ruckus that maybe he'd be able to avoid capture." He grimaced. "At the moment, however, I am not going to vouch for his intelligence. That's why I need you to order the ship to turn around, so I can take the Wolf and go back to get him out. Your sodding captain won't even take a piss without your orders!"

"Idiot! What the--" Black grimaced fiercely as he bit off the expletive and blew out a frustrated breath. "Right, I'll tell Captain Bones to turn around myself." He gazed at Severus, his features suffused with concern. "Do you know how long it's been since he took his meds?"

"No, I don't," Severus said, this new concern almost overwhelming his relief that Black was actually going to order the ship to return. Even if Remus evaded capture and managed to hide, if he didn't have his medication he'd be as good as dead within a few hours. "I'll take them with me, just in case, but I can't even be certain they've not captured him."

"Damn." Black shook his head, his expression grim, and then he fixed Severus with an intent look. "Get him back. I know it's stupid to jeopardize our mission for one man, but he's my friend as well as my employee, and I refuse to leave him to be driven mad or treated like a test subject by GenDyne. Do whatever it takes, but get him the hell out of there."

Black's words made Severus straighten, new purpose infusing him. It helped to finally have someone who didn't think he was crazy for wanting to rescue Remus, and he nodded briskly. "I will," he said firmly. "No matter what it takes, I'll get him out. Just tell your crew to do what I tell them and I'll make it happen."

"Don't worry," Black replied, the edge in his voice making it clear that anyone who crossed him at the moment wouldn't walk away unscathed. "I'll have a word with Captain Bones. She won't give you any further trouble. Report back to me the instant you get out, understood?"

"Understood." Severus nodded briskly. "And Regulus... thanks."

Black's features softened slightly, and he mustered a smile. "Bring Remus back safely," he said quietly. "That's all the thanks I need."

"Right. Snape out." Severus cut the connection, then turned and left his quarters, heading down the corridor to Remus' room. He entered, keeping his gaze averted from the bed, not wanting to dwell on what he they had shared just before the mission, and what he might have lost forever. It was more important to think about getting Remus back, safe and sound.

The pills were in the loo, and Severus pocketed the entire bottle, before leaving the stateroom and making his way down to the infirmary. He didn't know what he might find when he finally located Remus, and he wanted to be prepared for any eventuality. Remus was still alive - he had to be, and it was up to Severus to make certain he stayed that way. No matter what it took.

* * *

Five hours after leaving Borealis, Severus landed again, hoping that the next time he departed it would be with Remus, and that it would be forever. 

He was already suited up in the Wolf, almost vibrating with eagerness to be on his way as the shuttle settled down, landing in a different spot from the last time just in case GenDyne had located their first landing site and decided to lay a nasty surprise for them. The pilot hurried back, opening the airlock so that Severus could leave the shuttle.

"Take off and wait for my signal - you'll be safer orbiting than on the ground," Severus told him. He didn't wait for a reply, knowing that Regulus had made certain the crew would do whatever Severus asked. If things went wrong, it just might be the last order they'd ever have to worry about him giving.

The pilot nodded, and Severus made his way down the ramp to the ground, activating his remote sensors to check for anyone in the vicinity. It was so much better being in his own mecha, knowing its abilities and how to best make use of them. He didn't detect any heat signatures close by, and so he took a deep breath and started to run in the direction of the GenDyne facility, not even noticing when the shuttle lifted off behind him.

The Wolf moved smoothly and almost silently, and within a short time he'd made it back to the area where the launch tube emerged. He stopped inside the tree line, checking to see if the armored vehicles were still in evidence. They were; in fact, it looked like a small brigade had taken up residence in the area, and a force net glittered over the opening. He wasn't certain if it was to keep anyone else from leaving or him from entering, but it didn't matter; nothing was going to keep him from getting to Remus. If GenDyne wanted to see what a fully armed and operational advanced mecha could do, they were about to get a very personal demonstration.

He took a few minutes to plan out the best way to take out the armor and the force net, but it was worth the effort, since he'd want to get out the same way if possible. Apparently the people on the ground were expecting an attack from the air, not from the ground, for all the weapons were pointed skyward. It was a logical assumption; no land-based equipment would be able to make use of the launch tube to gain entry, only an aerial fighter could use it to get to the lower levels. Or one pissed off mecha pilot on a mission.

Severus used the Wolf's targeting functions to lay out a fire plan that would disable every weapon and take out the generator powering the force net. Then he drew a deep breath, stepped out into the open, and fired.

The simultaneous explosion of a dozen armored vehicles and a multi-megawatt generator was quite spectacular, but Severus didn't dawdle to admire his handiwork. As soon as the fireballs reached maximum, Severus triggered his jump jets, heading straight for the launch tube and hoping that the chaos would cover his entry. Not that it really mattered, he supposed, since they knew they were under attack, but hopefully they wouldn't realize exactly what was about to descend upon them. 

He flashed down the launch tube, using his jets only for steering. There was no way to know what awaited him in the launch bay; there could be an entire battalion of heavy armor or no one at all, but he didn't plan to stick around long enough to need a welcoming committee. As he neared the bottom of the tube he triggered his jets, coming out at a steeper angle and hugging the ceiling of the bay. With a brief command he sent a energy burst toward the door of the launch bay, then another just before he reached it. The blasts didn't destroy the doors, but it weakened them enough that he was able to smash through them, sending hot metal and plascrete blasting out into the corridor. At that point he had to land; his jets needed time to recharge and he needed to take stock of his position.

Outside the launch bay were several bodies, but Severus ignored the downed ones, scanning for moving targets. There were a few, and he lifted his arm, using the narrow energy beam in his armored gloves to end the movement. He didn't think of them as people, or even enemies; anything that moved was simply an obstacle between he and Remus, and obstacles existed only to be removed.

All was still in the corridor, and Severus moved, this time trying to be quiet, listening with his external pickups to determine where there might be more opposition. He didn't know where Remus was, or if he might have been captured, but the best place to start was the medical ward, the place Remus had been headed when he'd left. From there Severus would track him, using everything in his power until he located Remus. If that meant removing every moving obstacle in the entire facility, he would do it.

There were booted footsteps approaching from behind him, and so Severus increased his pace, skirting the hole in the wall where he'd broken through out of the storage room. He didn't go back in that way, however; no doubt there would be people there at least assessing the damage to the mechas, perhaps trying to fix them, and he highly doubted that if they'd captured Remus that they'd bring someone with sockets close to the very things he'd been trying to steal. He continued past the storage room, approaching the main corridor which ran past the mecha bay, and continued toward the medical ward.

He could hear voices; it was only a moment's work to send an explosive charge around the corner toward them, and then there was silence. Severus turned the corner, moving fast, running down the corridor past the mecha room without giving it a second glance. Small things in his way became nothing more than red, wet splotches on the floor, and the sirens echoing through the place drowned out the screams. At last he made it to a sealed door marked "Medical - Quiet, Please". He didn't bother to knock.

The unarmored doors proved no match for him, and apparently GenDyne didn't thing their "experiments" were important enough to warrant guards. Even the attendant's station was empty, and that left Severus free to push his way into the medical ward proper. Only then did he stop, looking around in stunned horror at the sight which greeted him.

The carnage he himself had wrought hadn't affected him, but this... this was worse than death. It was _suffering_ , and it affected him even in his battle-hardened mindset. People lay on row after row of beds, laid out in a grid that was obviously for the efficiency of mechanized cleaning and not for the dignity or comfort of the individuals in them. Men and women, some sitting up and rocking back and forth mindlessly, others staring off into space and drooling, and, even worse, others _whimpering_ with a pained animal sound that sent a chill down Severus' spine. Any of them could be Remus... all of them _were_ Remus, in a way, in the depth of their suffering, the only difference being that someone had cared enough about Remus to try to save him, while no one cared for these people at all. For the first time Severus understood why Remus had felt he had to try to do something, _anything_ , no matter how hopeless and suicidal it was. But there were so many, so much pain and horror that Severus was frozen in place as he desperately tried to pull himself together and do what he was supposed to do.

It was a shriek that roused him at last, and he spun, finding a woman in a medical jacket staring at him in disbelief. She turned to run, but she didn't stand a chance. A single, half-powered jump brought Severus in front of her, and he caught her by the arm with his armored hand.

"No," he said harshly. "You're not getting away that easily. How many people in this ward? And is this all of them?"

"Ninety-seven," she managed to choke out, struggling helplessly in Severus' grasp. "Let me go! I'm just a medtech! I don't know anything!"

"You know enough," Severus said. Then he went silent, triggering the Wolf's sensors to do a count of heat sources. The answer came back, and he felt a surge of hope. Ninety-nine. Discounting the medtech and the patients, there was an extra person in the ward; with any luck it was Remus, and not someone simply hiding out to escape working their shift. 

"Which were the empty beds?" he asked, giving the tech a shake to show he wouldn't stand for a lie. 

"Sixteen, forty-three, and seventy-two," she answered, giving up on her struggles. There was fear in her voice, but Severus wasn't in the mood to make any promises. "N-numbered from left to right and front to back from the doors."

The Wolf's scanners easily assimilated that information, and Severus began to move toward bed forty-three, one which was supposed to be empty but which his sensors told him contained a body. He had to move carefully through the rows to keep from bumping into the beds; he wanted to reach Remus quickly, but he was loathe to add to the suffering of the others in the ward. If Remus was here, he wasn't captured, although he must be in a bad state since he hadn't called out to Severus. There was no way Remus wouldn't recognize the Wolf if he was capable of opening his eyes.

If he hadn't had his armor to prop him up, Severus would have collapsed in relief when he finally neared the bed and saw the auburn hair spilling across the pillow. He reached the side of the bed, seeing that Remus' eyes were closed. Under the sheet which covered the uniform he still wore Remus was trembling, and sweat dotted his brow.

"Remus," he said softly, wishing that he could reach out with his hand and stroke Remus' damp hair back from his forehead. "Remus! I'm here. It's Severus. I'm going to get you out of here, do you understand?"

Remus cracked his eyes open, and Severus could see they were glassy and unfocused; whatever Remus was seeing, Severus doubted it had much connection to reality. "Hurts..." Remus whimpered, closing his eyes again and going limp on the thin mattress. "Fire in my veins..." He squeezed his eyes shut tight and pressed his fists against his forehead, his whimpers escalating to groans and cries as he began to thrash back and forth, kicking the sheet off. "Make it stop... make it stop... make it _stop_!"

The degree of Remus' suffering tore at Severus, and he turned, giving the medtech a shake. "You're going to fix this. You're going to do exactly what I say, do you understand? If you try _anything_ other than precisely what I tell you to do, I will kill you. Do I make myself clear?"

The medtech went so pale Severus thought she might faint, and tears began to run down her cheeks. "B-b-but I can't! I can't fix this, there's nothing we can _do_ for them, don't you understand? He...he's not even supposed to be here!"

"Shut. Up." Severus' tone was brutal, and the woman's mouth closed with a snap. Inside his mecha, Severus willed open a section of his external armor, behind which was stored a pouch given to him by the _Galaxy_ 's doctor. "I know you backwards butchers don't have anything, that's why _I_ brought what was needed. Take the pouch, and pull out one of the syringes. Inject him, intramuscular, in the arm." He rapped out the directions the doctor had given him, while explaining that the old fashioned hypodermic needle was better and faster than the expressor which blasted medication through the dermis. "If that isn't enough, we'll give him a second dose."

With that he released the woman so she could move, although he stood ready to snatch her back if she tried to run - but fortunately she didn't. Hands shaking, the medtech did as he asked, although Severus thought she was going to fumble the syringe. 

"What's in this?" she asked, professional curiosity apparently overcoming at least some of her fear.

"Neural suppressors, painkillers, and voodoo magic for all I know - I'm a mecha pilot, not a doctor," Severus ground out, anxiously awaiting for her to finish. When she had, he took her arm again, just in case, and leaned close to Remus. "Come on, come on... Remus, is that better? Do you know who I am? Do you need more medication? Please, please talk to me..."

In a matter of seconds, Remus stopped thrashing, the tense lines of pain that had made his body taut seeming to relax at last, and after a moment longer, he opened his eyes, and Severus could see they were clearer. Remus' movements were slow and weak as he tried to sit up, but there was no mistaking the recognition in his eyes as he gazed up at Severus and Wolf.

"Severus..." he murmured, before he fell back onto the bed, lapsing into unconsciousness.

"Shit!" Severus was glad Remus was out of pain, but worried that he'd fainted. Still, that might be the best thing for him, since getting the hell out of here was likely to be unpleasant. The best he could hope for was that in recognizing him, Remus had gained some small measure of reassurance that things would be all right.

Turning back to the medtech, Severus gave her another brisk shake to get her attention. "Listen to me. In the pouch is the chemical formulary for the drug you just gave him. It isn't going to cure this lot if they've gone mad from what you've done to them, but it will ease their pain. Perhaps some of them aren't so far gone that they can't be brought back if properly medicated. For the rest... death is probably the greatest mercy you could give them."

"But... I don't have the authority!" she gasped, looking around the ward with wide eyes. "I don't like that they're in pain, but there isn't anything I can do!"

"There is! I'm giving it to you," Severus growled. He caught the name on her badge. "You listen to me, Junior Medtech Penelope Clearwater! You will do exactly as I've told you to do, or you can rest assured that I will give your name to the Sector Government as a party to war crimes against innocent civilians! You won't have to worry about GenDyne if you're rotting in the Sector prison, now will you?"

"You wouldn't!" Her eyes widened in horrified disbelief. "You can't!"

"I can, and I will," Severus snapped, his tone leaving her in no doubt of his sincerity. "I suggest you get started. Find a way to medicate them without being discovered, if you must, but just _do it_! It won't be for long... trust me, GenDyne isn't going to be in business for much longer."

With that Severus leaned over and scooped Remus up in his arms, mattress, sheets and all. It was better that way, with him unconscious; the bedclothes would provide some shielding against the hardness of his armor, and from any collateral damage he might take. Straightening, he looked quickly around the ward, making a silent promise in Remus' name that they would be back to do what they could. It wasn't much, but he'd done the best he could for now, and at the moment his number one priority lay quiescent in his arms.

"Let's go home," he murmured, even though Remus couldn't hear him. It didn't matter... all that mattered was that Remus was alive and still had his mind. Beside that miracle, everything else paled in comparison.

* * *

The escape from GenDyne was almost anticlimactic, not that Severus was complaining at all. Apparently he'd simply dealt out too much damage and caused so much confusion that even GenDyne couldn't manage to mount an effective counterattack. Of course it helped that the medtech, apparently suffering either a fit of conscience or deciding that being found in Severus' company would endanger her own life, helpfully pointed out a lift at the back of the ward. Apparently it was used only by medical personnel to deal with patients and therefore was not something Malfoy would have known about. Severus didn't mind - they deserved a bit of luck after the far-too-close call Remus had suffered.

The lift reached the surface without being stopped, and the medical bay at the surface was in ruins, apparently the result of his explosive rampage on his way down to get Remus. He didn't waste time or tears on the charred bodies; they'd chosen the wrong side and he had no sympathy for them suffering the consequences. None of _them_ would have shed a tear for Remus, nor did they even seem to care about their comrades in the medical bay below, so as far as Severus was concerned justice had been served.

Dawdling, however, was contraindicated, and Severus triggered his comm link to summon the shuttle, ordering the pilot to meet him at the spot where he'd been dropped off. Within minutes Severus was boarding the shuttle and placing Remus' still-unconscious body on the deck so that he could get out of his mecha and hold Remus in his arms. He did so, cradling Remus against his chest and stroking back his hair silently, willing Remus to hold on for just a little while longer. 

When the shuttle reached the boat bay, Severus stayed where he was; the pilot had already commed to the _Galaxy_ about Remus' condition, and as soon as the shuttle doors opened the ship's doctor rushed in, followed by a med team with an anti-grav gurney. Remus was lifted carefully from his arms, and even though Severus was loathe to let him go, he knew it was necessary. The doctor did a swift examination, then gave Severus a nod of approval.

"He'll need rest, and more tests than I suspect he'll be happy about, but I believe he'll be fine - you got to him in time," the doctor said, and Severus almost collapsed in relief. Then Remus was whisked away, and Severus drew in a deep breath, heading off to his cabin to change quickly and give Regulus Black the good news. That done - and with Regulus' thanks and congratulations - Severus hurried down to the medical bay. He was made to wait for several minutes while the doctor finished up whatever it was he was doing, but finally he was admitted into Remus' room, and he crossed to the bed, silently taking Remus' hand and lifting it to his cheek, his dark eyes somber as he looked down into Remus' face.

It seemed like an eternity before Remus finally began to stir and opened his eyes, glancing around and fixing his bleary gaze on Severus. "What happened?" he asked, his voice raspy and weak. "Did you get the mecha? What about those people in the med ward?"

With a sigh of relief, Severus pressed his lips to Remus' palm. "I came back to get you out, after safely delivering the mecha to the ship," he said quietly, too glad just to have Remus back, whole and relatively healthy, to spend any time snarking. "As for the people in the med ward, I did what I could - the ship's doctor printed up the formulary for your medication, and I gave it to a medtech in the GenDyne ward, along with a threat that if she didn't start administering it at once I'd have her brought up for war crimes. That will have to do, for the moment, until we can get the mecha we appropriated back to Sol as proof of what GenDyne is up to. Unless Regulus Black can manage to persuade the Sector government to get off its collective arse and go get them out sooner."

"You came back for me?" Remus stared up at him, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "You could have been killed! You should have just left me behind."

Severus' eyes went wide, and he then he shook his head. Remus obviously wasn't thinking clearly after what he'd gone through, and he sighed. "I couldn't do that," he said softly. "You should rest; I just wanted to make certain you were all right."

Remus still looked bewildered, but he sank back against the pillow and settled in, his eyelids already beginning to droop again. "I will be," he murmured drowsily. "Thanks to you."

Placing Remus' hand back on the blankets, Severus leaned over to press a kiss to Remus' forehead. "Just get better. That's all the thanks I need." He glanced down, seeing that Remus had drifted back to sleep, so he lingered there for a moment, breathing in Remus' familiar scent. Then he straightened and headed out of the room, back toward his stateroom. He was exhausted, as well. It was almost two weeks before they would reach Sol, and he suddenly felt as though he could sleep the entire way.

* * *

As it was, Severus didn't sleep the whole way to Sol, nor even more than the whole night, waking up and immediately reaching out for Remus. It took him a moment of confusion before he remembered the events of the previous day, and then he hurried to get up and dress so that he could see how Remus had fared through the night. He was better, but still not at full health, and it was a few days before the doctor gave consent for Remus to be released from the medical ward and return to normal activities.

Severus packed up one of Remus' shipsuits, carrying it with him to the ward. He was both happy and relieved that the doctor seemed to feel there would be no lasting effects from Remus' ordeal, and Severus was anxious to have the last reminders of it behind them. He also missed Remus' company; even though he'd been allowed to visit during Remus' convalescence, he was wary about tiring Remus out when he needed to save his strength. It would be nice to just spend time in Remus' company again, especially now that the mission was nearly over and they could return to something close to normal lives.

He knocked at the door to Remus' room, waiting to be asked to enter, since he wasn't certain if the doctor might not be in the middle of something and not wish to be disturbed.

Instead of hearing a summons from within, Severus was surprised when the door opened, and Remus stood on the other side.

"Thank goodness! I was afraid it was the doctor coming to poke at me some more before I could make my escape," Remus said, palpable relief in his voice. "Come in," he added, moving aside so Severus could enter. "I'm very ready to get out of here."

Lips quirking in amusement, Severus passed over the shipsuit. "I thought you might want something that didn't leave your... assets... exposed to view. Charming as they are." He glance around the small room. "I can believe you're ready to leave. Over and above the poking and prodding, this is a singularly depressing room. And the bed is entirely too small."

"It's also entirely too lonely." Remus stripped off the skimpy med ward garment and changed into his shipsuit quickly. He was still a little pale, but he looked far, far better than he had when Severus had first brought him back to the ship, and he was clearly feeling better. Once he was dressed, he smiled and wound his arms around Severus. "Ready to rescue me again?"

Severus gave an evil smile, bending his head to press a swift, hard kiss to Remus' lips. "It depends on whether you believe that me holding you hostage in the bedroom for the rest of this trip constitutes a rescue or not. All right, maybe not the entire rest of the trip, but at least a day. Maybe two." Stepping back, he draped an arm over Remus' shoulders and led him from the room. "We'd best go before that doctor shows up. He was hovering over you like a hen with one chick. Good thing I know he's straight or I'd have had to beat him up."

Remus snorted as he followed along, one arm around Severus' waist. "I'd rather you spend your energy on something more productive." He glanced sidelong up at Severus, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Like that hostage situation you mentioned. Does it involve cuffs?" he asked, a hopeful note in his voice.

"Why, Mr. Lupin, is this a heretofore unsuspected kinky streak you're exhibiting?" Severus asked, raising a brow in mock surprise. In reality he was pleased that Remus felt well enough to be flirtatious, a good sign that he was recovering mentally from his ordeal as well as physically. "I do believe I could be persuaded to indulge you - the only question is if you prefer to be the cuffee or the cuffer."

"Whatever you like," Remus replied, smiling up at Severus as he pressed closer against Severus' side. "I think we're both overdue for some indulgence."

Snorting in amusement, Severus tightened his arm around Remus' shoulders. "Perhaps we are at that." He steered them to his stateroom, opening the door and allowing Remus to enter ahead of him. He closed the door behind them, then leaned back against it, dark eyes gleaming. "I must admit, I don't have cuffs, per se, but I can definitely tie you up if you'd like." Reaching out, he caressed Remus' cheek with one finger. "I just don't want to do anything that might hurt you, so I can also talk you through tying me up if that works better."

Smiling, Remus leaned into the touch, shivering slightly at the tingle Severus felt as well. "Whatever you want, Severus," he replied, his expression open and affectionate. "I want to make you happy, and besides, I want you to be well-rewarded for saving my life."

Reaching out, Severus pulled Remus against his body, holding him closely. "Your well-being is the only reward I need," he murmured. He pressed his lips to Remus' forehead, then his cheeks, and his nose, before claiming his lips with slow thoroughness. When he pulled back, he looked down into Remus' eyes and drew in a deep breath. "You do make me happy. You're the only person in my life who has ever really made me happy. When I thought I'd lost you... I couldn't stand it. Never, ever do that to me again, do you understand? If you have a mission, I'll make it my mission, too, but I won't be held responsible for my actions if I lose you."

"I understand," Remus replied, his expression somber as he gazed up at Severus, and he wound his arms around Severus' neck, pressing close. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you, but I wanted to help those people if I could. I thought it would be better for our mission if you went ahead with the mecha rather than jeopardize everything we've worked for. I won't do anything like that again without telling you, I promise."

"I'll hold you to that." Severus moved his hands down to Remus' hips, then curved them around to cradle Remus' arse. "We're supposed to be a team, aren't we?" He paused and drew in a deep breath, dropping his eyes as a flush rose in his cheeks. "Even if I don't ever compete again... I'd still like it if we were a team. If you are willing to put up with me, that is."

A look of stunned surprise flickered across Remus' face, but it was quickly replaced by a joy that seemed to light him from within. "I'd like that too," he said softly, reaching up to touch Severus' cheek. "I'd like it very much."

"Really?" Severus looked up at that, the uncertainty in his eyes giving way to stunned happiness. "I wasn't sure... when you left me down there, I thought... I thought perhaps you didn't really want to stay with me." It was a hard admission to make, and Severus' throat tightened as he reached up to press Remus' hand against his cheek and hold it there. "But I couldn't let you go. I didn't care how many of them I had to kill to reach you, or even if I died in the attempt. I just knew I had to try. I knew that without you I didn't care what happened to me."

"No, that wasn't it at all." Remus shook his head vehemently as he gazed up at Severus, his expression intense. "I'm sorry I gave you even a moment's doubt, and I swear it wasn't because I didn't want to stay with you." His features softened, and he stroked Severus' cheek with his thumb. "Thank you," he whispered. "I'm glad you came back for me. I'm glad you want to be with me, because I want to be with you too."

That was all Severus needed to hear. Remus' words were a siren song to him, filling up places in his soul he hadn't even realized had been dark and empty for a long time - perhaps the whole of his life. Bending his head, he captured Remus' lips in a searing kiss, pleasure spreading along every inch of his body from the contact. He'd hungered for this, hungered for Remus, and it was even better, knowing that Remus wanted what he wanted - more than just lovers during a mission, seeking each other out because of the power of the attraction between them. He cared about Remus, and Remus, by some miracle, cared about him, and that was more than Severus could have ever hoped for.

Pulling back, breathless and aroused, Severus gave an evil smile. "I'm going to tie you up and never let you go. You're mine now... and there's no escape."

Remus' eyes were sparkling, and his cheeks were flushed as he smiled up at Severus, and he wound his arms around Severus' neck again. "I don't want to escape," he said, sounding breathless. "I want to be yours for the rest of our lives."

"That can definitely be arranged," Severus replied, then began to walk Remus backward toward the bedroom. He couldn't believe that after everything that had happened that he might, at long last, have a real chance at happiness, but he wasn't going to question it, either. He'd come too close to losing Remus completely - not just through the danger of the mission, but through his own clumsiness in handling a relationship.

They made it to the bedroom, and Severus began to unfasten Remus' shipsuit. "This served its purpose, getting you from the med ward to here... now it can come off again," he said. "I want to feel your skin. All of it."

"Yes, yes... I want that too..." Remus moaned as he fumbled with the fastenings of Severus' shipsuit, eagerness seeming to make his fingers clumsy. It seemed to take far too long, but finally they were able to shrug out of their clothing, and with a hungry growl Severus kissed Remus, then tipped him over onto the bed.

"Stay there - I'll be right back," he said, before heading to his closet. He was back in moments, the sashes from his bathrobe and Remus' clutched in his hand and a predatory expression on his face. "Now, Mr. Lupin, you're my prisoner. I dare say you will enjoy it far more being in my clutches than GenDyne's, however. If I kill you, it will be with pleasure."

Remus scooted back toward the pillows and watched Severus approach with half-lidded eyes. "No doubt," he replied huskily. "I'm willing, even eager to be in your clutches, for dying of ecstasy sounds like the best possible way to go."

For a moment Severus just stood and admired the sight of Remus lying there, eager and aroused and wanting him. That someone like Remus wanted someone like him left him breathless for a moment, and his dark eyes gleamed with desire. "I'll do my very best," he murmured. Reaching into the bedside table to retrieve the lube, he placed it within reach before kneeling down on the mattress, moving toward Remus with the sashes. He lowered himself over Remus' body, aligning them so that they were in contact from chest to hips, and gave a moan of pleasure as the contact made his skin react. Then he bent his head and claimed Remus' lips, slipping his tongue between them for a deep, thorough taste.

Moaning, Remus parted his lips and wound his arms around Severus' shoulders, pulling him closer, and he hooked one leg around Severus' hips, arching up as if seeking more of the electric contact. "Tell me what you want," he murmured against Severus' lips as he smoothed his palms down the length of Severus' back. "Whatever you want, I'll do it. Just tell me what would please you."

Severus chuckled with wicked delight, pleased that Remus was as anxious as he was himself. The contact of their skin was no less arousing and addictive as it had been the very first time, but familiarity had allowed them both to exercise more control, which was useful in keeping spontaneous combustion at bay, if only briefly. But Severus wanted to show Remus exactly how much he was desired and how deep Severus' feelings for him were.

Moving his hips just enough to tease, Severus lifted up slightly. "You please me, just as you are, eager and willing and so desirable you tempt me to take you just like this," he said, his voice deep and rough as he fought to maintain control. "What I want is to please _you_ , my sexy Remus."

With that, Severus rose up to his knees, holding up the sashes. He took one of Remus' hands, wrapping the sash around his wrist and tying it, tight enough to hold but not enough to hurt. He looked down into Remus' face, watching for any nuance or discomfort or dislike. "Is that all right?" he asked, cupping Remus' cheek with one hand.

Remus nodded and offered a reassuring smile. "It's fine," he replied. "It doesn't hurt. Keep going - please."

Severus ran his thumb over Remus' lips. "All right... but if anything hurts or makes you uncomfortable, tell me and I'll stop." 

Turning his attention back to his task, he wrapped the other end of the sash holding Remus' wrists to one of the spindles of the headboard, tying it securely. Then he repeated the binding with Remus' other wrist, leaving the sashes with enough slack that Remus could move to an extent, but still have the feeling of being bound. Picking up the jar of lube, he removed the top, then settled down between Remus' legs. "You look incredibly hot," he murmured, eyes narrowing as arousal flared. Reaching out, he ran his hand over Remus' taut stomach. "How does it feel?"

Remus quivered beneath Severus' stroking hand, sucking in a hissing breath, and he gave the improvised bindings an experimental tug. "It feels good," he breathed. He arched provocatively and gazed at Severus with darkened eyes. "You like me like this, then?"

Severus drew in a breath at the sight of Remus arching so wantonly. "Oh, yes," he murmured, licking his lips as his hunger for Remus continued to grow. He reached into the jar of lube, coating his fingers, then placing it aside. He used one finger to tease the opening to Remus' body, then slowly and gently pressed inside. "I like you every way. You're perfect."

A blush rose in Remus' cheeks, and he smiled bashfully at the praise. "I'm glad you think so," he murmured as he lifted his hips and wriggled impatiently.

Taking the wriggle as eagerness to continue, Severus began to prepare Remus, his own desire mounting swiftly. But he couldn't resist the temptation to tease Remus as Remus seemed to enjoy teasing him, curling his fingers to press against the sensitive spot within, hoping to drive Remus wild. "What do you want?" he murmured, leaning over Remus as he continued the torment. "Tell me what you need, and I'll give it to you."

Tugging restlessly at his bonds, Remus rocked his hips as Severus teased him, his skin growing flushed and damp with sweat. "You," he moaned. "I need you."

The appeal in Remus' voice was more than Severus could resist; he used more lube to prepare himself, then rose up, bending over Remus to kiss him slowly and deeply. Then, hands on Remus' hips, he positioned himself, and held Remus' gaze. "I love you," he said, then slid forward, claiming Remus' body in one smooth, deep thrust.

Moaning, Remus wrapped his legs around Severus' hips and rocked up to meet Severus' thrust as if trying to send him deeper, and he met Severus' gaze evenly, his golden eyes molten. "I love you, too," he murmured huskily.

Severus echoed Remus' moan, overwhelmed by the sensations but even more so by the knowledge that Remus loved him. He reached between their bodies, wrapping his hand around Remus and stroking him in counterpoint, wanting to give Remus as much pleasure as he was receiving. Speeding up the rhythm of his hips, he watched Remus' face avidly, not wanting to miss a single nuance, wanting to see the moment when Remus was overwhelmed and lost control.

With each touch enhanced by the intensity of their interfaces, Remus went wild beneath Severus in a matter of moments, arching and writhing helplessly, and with a wordless cry, he shattered, his entire body shuddering with the impact of his release. Severus watched, breathless, overwhelmed at the incredible sight, and with the knowledge that he'd done this for Remus, that he'd brought Remus this much pleasure.

He continued to stroke Remus until he was spent, then he smiled. "So beautiful," he said, beginning to move again. This was all he could ever want or need, the feeling of Remus around him, the perfection of their joining. Overcome with sensation and feeling, Severus cried out, ecstasy bursting over him, consuming him in searing pleasure.

Drawing in a deep, shuddering breath, Severus reached up with trembling fingers to untie Remus' wrists, then he collapsed down beside Remus, pulling him into his arms with a sigh of satiation. "I hope that met your expectations," he said, his voice full of languid amusement.

"Oh, yes," Remus purred, winding his arms around Severus. "That went above and beyond my expectations. What about you?" he asked, gazing at Severus questioningly.

"It was fantastic," Severus replied, pressing his lips to Remus' temple. "I'm definitely going to keep you. And all for myself."

Remus smiled and settled in, relaxing in Severus' arms. "Good. I'd like that."

"It's hard to consider you a prisoner if you actually like it," Severus replied in mock complaint. "Ah, well, I'll just have to deal with it." He sighed and tightened his arms. "Rest now... perhaps in a while you can tie me up - it's only fair, after all."

 

"Whatever you like," Remus murmured, closing his eyes. "Whatever and whenever."

"Everything... forever," Severus replied. That would do - at least for a start.


	8. Epilogue

"Are you sure about this? You don't have to do this to prove anything."

"Yes, I do." Severus smiled wryly at the worry in Remus' tone, carried clearly over the speakers in the Wolf. It seemed his lover could fuss over him as much as he could over the circuits in theirmechas , not that Severus was complaining. Or not much. He was, by his very nature, a complainer, but despite their rocky start, he and Remus were managing to rub along together well. It was amazing how much Severus could mellow when he actually had a reason to do so; he was still a right bastard to everyone else, but Remus meant more to him than anything, and that made snark unnecessary. 

A sigh came over the speakers, but Remus didn't comment further about it as Severus maneuvered his Gamma Six onto the arena floor. Not that Remus wasn't right to be concerned; Severus hadn't escaped as completely unscathed from their adventure onBorealis as he'd thought. His contact with the modified LILI mech he'd stolen had been brief, but there had been hidden damage which hadn't been detected until Severus had developed a quiver in his left hand on their way back to Sol. It was minor, particularly compared to what Remus had endured, but Remus had been worried that the damage might be progressive. So it had turned out to be, but consultation with Black Star's best neurologists had produced a treatment which had stopped it. By the time they made it back to Black Star, Severus was fine, but the doctors had insisted on a full work up, which had annoyed Severus, but which he endured because of the worry in Remus' golden eyes.

While Severus had been stuck in the med labs, Regulus Black had been busy, turning over the stolen mecha and a copy of Malfoy's recording to the Sector authorities. They'd made it back to Sol in record time, and the Sector government had managed to actually get their collective arses in gear for once, moving onBorealis with due haste. GenDyne's facilities had been seized, a number of fugitives captured, but, unfortunately, not all the guilty parties had been rounded up. That was why Severus was here, now, to take out a little bit of personal vengeance on one of the last of them.

Malfoy's mecha landed not far from him, and Severus smiled in grim satisfaction. Despite everything, Malfoy had somehow managed to elude arrest, every criminal charge somehow sliding off the oily bastard's back, so much so that Lucius as here, competing in themecha competition finals on Borealis, not a hundred kilometers from the GenDyne facility and only three weeks after everything had gone down. Bellatrix and her lot had managed to destroy quite a bit of information before the Sector government had stepped in, including the evidence ofMalfoy's involvement, which would have allowed him to be taken into custody as an accessory. If Severus was a snake, then Malfoy was a cat, with more lives than anyone should be entitled to have. But now Severus was going to make certain this was his final one.

Nothing had made the news, of course; since the Borealis government had covered up the escape of the criminals to begin with, and the Sector government had refused to do anything until confronted with direct evidence, there had been a major and highly successful effort to cover it up in order to keep the entire planetary system from devolving into chaos and panic. GenDyne even still existed, the damage at its facility chalked up to an industrial accident. But the Sector government wasn't ignoring the problem now;GenDyne was quietly under Ministry control, and the politicians on Borealis knew that they were being watched with an eagle eye. The Sector had even "leased" an enormous section of land from the government for a new base, and construction was set to begin immediately. No, theSolarian Sector government didn't occupy planets, but apparently two incidents in a decade were sufficient to force them to put a minder in place to insure that nothing happened again. 

Voldemort hadn't been found, and from what Regulus Black had discovered, Bellatrix and the others insisted that he really was dead, although that left the question of who was pulling the strings behind the entire operation. So far there were no good answers, but the investigation could take years. Severus wasn't concerned about that far in the future, however; his interest was in the here and now, and that meant the person he could still defeat, despiteMalfoy's connections and damnable luck. 

"No comments, Lucius?" Severus asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Are you not so cocky after our last meeting ended so badly for you?"

"Shut up, Snape," Malfoy snarled, and Severus could almost seen his features twisted in hate. This was a desperation play for Lucius, to go about his life as though he were completely innocent of any wrong doing, continuing his competition career while pretending no connection whatsoever to the debacle atGenDyne . No, butter wouldn't melt in Lucius' mouth, but Severus could sense that the facade was in danger of cracking. All he had to do was give it a nudge in the right direction.

A tier of lights began the countdown for the start of the match, and as soon as the green one at the bottom flashed, Severus stepped not forward, but back, taking a defensive stance. This must have shocked Malfoy, for he hesitated for anano before lunging forward. Obviously he and everyone else had expected Severus to take the offensive as he had on Albus, to conclude the finals in as quick and stunning a manner as he had the semis. But that wasn't Severus' plan. Or not yet.

"Funny about that accident at GenDyne," Severus said conversationally, dodging a strike from his opponent's powerful right arm. "An accident? At a facility like that? It seems terribly careless."

There was no answer from Malfoy, and Severus used his jump jets to avoid a wicked kick aimed at his mecha's left leg. "Usually corporations of that size don't have accidents. I suppose it was more likely espionage they were covering up."

"Shut up!" There was definitely strain in Malfoy's voice, and he pressed the attack, while Severus danced around him, leading him like a toreador leads a bull. 

"Of course, there are all kinds of secrets someone might want to steal from a place like that... new fighters, powerful weapons... perhaps even advancedmechas." Severus' voice was so cool, it could have frozen lava. 

"Snape, I'm going to kill you!" Malfoy ground out. Again Severus dodged the attack. He could hear the confusion running through the crowded arena at his tactics, but he didn't care. This wasn't about the fans or the competition; this was about revenge. GenDyne had hurt too many people, and Malfoy had _known_ and done nothing, which had almost gotten Remus killed. Payback was a bitch. Or in this case, it was a bastard named Severus Snape.

"Now why would you want to do that?" Severus asked in a taunting voice. "What makes you think that I know anything about what GenDyne was hiding? I don't work for them... you do. But you know nothing at all about what was going on down below, right? You were simply their competition pilot. Of course you know the truth... and so do I."

"You don't know a damned thing about anything! No one has anything on me!" Malfoy shot back, lashing out with both armored hands in an effort to try to grapple with Severus. "You're trying to rattle me!"

"Trying? I'm succeeding, it seems," Severus replied, glad that the circuit which allowed mecha pilots to communicate with one another for safety reasons couldn't be cut. But it was time to close in for the kill, both literally and figuratively. "And I know it all, Lucius. All about the advancedmechas and the fact that you piloted one of them. About the people who were used as experiments and the fact that you _knew_ about them. Oh, it might beinadmissible evidence, and the Sector government might not be able to put you away where you belong, but I know... and you know... and I'm going to make certain that everyone knows; including the puppet master pulling your strings."

"What?" There was a note of panic in Malfoy's voice, and he flailed wide as Severus suddenly lashed out, landing a blow on Lucius' chest that sent him staggering back. "WHAT?"

Severus grunted with the force of his own swing, feeling his mecha vibrate in reaction as he impacted Lucius again, this time on the side of the head. "I know everything! You were very cooperative, Lucius. Wasn't he, Remus? Why don't you play the man a little song? One of a stool pigeon singing?"

Remus, of course, had been tied in to the circuit. "Happily," he replied, and he started up the recording they'd made that night in the limo. Lucius' voice came through loud and clear, telling secrets that no one outside ofGenDyne's elite were supposed to know. Things that Lucius' own mechanic could hear as well. 

"It's a fake!" Lucius screamed, lunging forward toward Severus with terror in his voice. "I never said that, not any of those things! You're making it up!!"

"If I am, then why are you so frightened?" Severus asked coolly, even as he kicked at Lucius again, catching his mecha in the side of the knee and sending him reeling as Lucius' recorded voice continued to talk. "You know it's true... We know everything, and that's what broughtGenDyne down. It's all _your_ fault, Lucius. Thank you - we never could have done it without you!"

"No! No!" Lucius screamed, his mecha staggering wildly over the arena floor. It wasn't clear whether he was trying to fight or escape, but it really didn't matter. Severus moved up like a predator going for the kill, smashing into Lucius with brutal force and bearing him to the ground. Blow after blow rained down on Lucius' armor, until hismecha's automatic systems detected the level of damage necessary to admit defeat.

It was the end of the match, but Severus knew that for Malfoy, the trouble was just beginning.

"Ladies and gentlemen, five time Sector Mecha champion... Severus Snape!"

The crowd was roaring, and Severus could hear it, but he didn't care. Walking away from the twitching wreck of Malfoy's mech, he had only one thing on his mind. The very thing that was stepping out of the pit and walking toward him with a smile.

"You did it," Remus said as Severus' mecha popped open, allowing him to jump to the ground. "You won, and you managed to scare Malfoy." Remus moved up and wrapped his arms around Severus, looking up at him with relief in his tawny eyes. "And you're not injured, thank heaven."

"Did you really have any doubts?" Severus asked. He was aware of the media rushing toward them, and he knew that their picture would be all over the networks in a matter of moments, but he didn't care. "All I know is that it's over. Malfoy will be running for a long time, and I have no doubt his master will catch up to him in the end - and when he does, Regulus will probably be all over it, hot to catch the puppet master. But I have bigger concerns. My competition days are done. I've had enough... I want to go home."

Remus blinked. "Are you sure? And where would home be? You said Borealis wasn't home anymore."

"It isn't." Leaning forward, Severus kissed Remus, hard and swift. "Unless it's where you want to live. My home is with you, no matter where that happens to be, Regulus' bloody space station or an organic vegetable farm on Wolf 359. So long as I can be with you, I won't complain. Or not too much."

Smiling with happiness, Remus tightened his arms, holding Severus close and tight. "For the next fifty years?" he asked coyly, completing Severus' dry joke from weeks before. 

"For as long as you'd like," Severus murmured, cradling Remus' cheek in his hand. There were people all around them, shouting questions - about their relationship, about the victory, about why Lucius Malfoy had gotten out of his mech and run for the exit as though the hounds of hell were at his feet - but Severus didn't hear any of them. All he heard was the one word that Remus said, a thing more beautiful and precious to him than any championship, more satisfying than any revenge. The only word Severus wanted to hear before he claimed Remus' lips in a deep, demanding kiss that hinted at all the things yet to come for them both.

"Forever."


End file.
